BRIEF PAUSE IN CAPTIONS -TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES >> THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOING OUT. WE'RE CANCELING THE TRIPS. >>COUN. GROUT: VERY GOOD. ARE WE FULLY STAFFED ON DRIVERS? >> COUNCILOR GROUT, WE'RE NOT FULLY STAFFED ON DRIVERS. BUT WE HAVE MADE SOME BIG STRIDES THERE. SO WE ARE DOWN INTO THE MID-70s FOR MOTOR COACH OPERATORS. WHICH IS ABOUT 30%. WE WERE UPWARDS OF 40% AT ONE POINT. FOR SUN VAN DRIVERS WE'RE AT 10% VACANCY. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU. I'M GLAD THINGS ARE IMPROVING. THANK YOU. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: COUNCILORS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ? MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE ADMIN. JUST BEEN DRIVING DOWN CENTRAL, AND DAY AFTER DAY I'M SEEING FOLKS PICKING UP TRASH AND CLEANING IT UP. I THINK THE TRANSIT LOOKS AMAZING. THEY'RE PULLING WEEDS. IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE TO SEE ALL THAT WORK OUT THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MADAM PRESIDENT, NO OTHER QUESTIONS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. COUNCILOR GROUT, WE'RE ON PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION FROM MS. ESQUIBEL, SHE'S THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR. SHE'S GOING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE CONNECT TO CARE OVERVIEW. >>COUN. GROUT: HI, DIRECTOR. >> HELLO, COUNCILORS. MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILORS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL IS BELLS FOR OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW. DESPITE HAVING INCREASE OF CALLS FOR SERVICE, 311 IS 71% INCREASE OF CALLS, 911 CALLS BY 10%. WE FOUND THIS TO BE PROACTIVE FOR THE RESPONSE FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THE WAYS WE FOUND SUCCESS IS CONNECT TO CARE EVENTS. WHAT IS AN ACS CONNECT TO CARE EVENT? THIS IS PROACTIVE RESPONSE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO, FINDING THOSE HIGH-VOLUME AREAS WHERE WE FEEL WE NEED TO TAKE RESOURCES RIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY AND CREATE PATHWAYS AND BREAK DOWN BARRIERS OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE RUN INTO. THIS IS QUITE LITERALLY MEETING OUR COMMUNITY WHERE THEY ARE. I'M GOING TO RUSH THROUGH. I HOPE YOU HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS. I BROUGHT JEN TO ANSWER ALL THEM. WHAT NEXT IS WHAT RESOURCES ARE OFFERED. WE HAVE MEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, THIS HELPS -- THIS COMES TO THE COMMUNITY VIA IGA WITH THE UNM STREET MEDICINE TEAM. WE HAVE DR. FOX, WE'RE DOING MEDICATIONS, WE'RE TREATING -- WE'RE DOING ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO HELP FEEL BETTER AND MAKE BETTER CHOICES FOR THEMSELVES. WE HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE INTERVENTION, HOUSING AND SAFETY ACCESS TO COMMENTATION, AND WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VETERANS INTEGRATION CENTER. I THINK IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HAVE THESE EVENTS WITHOUT ALL OF THEIR INPUT. AS WELL AS OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ALSO ARE -- OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND MOST RECENTLY OUR ANIMAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT. WE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF TIMES WE'RE COLLABORATING IN THAT SPACE. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT GOODWILL. THEY'RE AN AMAZING PARTNER. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS ISN'T A HANDOUT, THIS IS A HAND-UP. WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED. GOODWILL IS THERE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO JOBS. WE ALSO HAVE THE RECENT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MVD THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT ARE HELPING US ACTUALLY PRINT OUT I.D.s ON-SITE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IS A BIG BARRIER FOR THE COMMUNITY AS THE HAVE MISPLACED DOCUMENTS AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM RECONNECTED, HAVE THEIR I. D. THERE'S NO EXCUSES. WE'VE SET EVERYTHING UP IN THAT SPACE TO BREAK DOWN THOSE BARRIERS AND CREATE PATHWAYS. A LITTLE BIT OF THE IMPACT. THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GOING TO THESE EVENTS. I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I KNEW I WAS GOING TO START TO RANT. I REALLY DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT. I HOPE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. JEN MARTINEZ IS HERE. SHE OVERSEES THAT DIVISION AND IS BRILLIANT IN THE SPACE. THANKFUL TO SHARE SOMETHING THE CITY AND ADMINISTRATION AND EVERYBODY IS DOING SOMETHING PROACTIVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN THE SPACES WE NEED TO BE IN THE HIGH-TARGETED AREAS. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR GROUT ASKS THAT YOU CAN FINISH YOUR SLIDES. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. I'LL JUST START OVER AND GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION. I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS. I'LL GO OFF OF HERE. THE DEPTH OF THE RESOURCES IN THE SPACE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. ACS STREET OUTREACH ARE NAVIGATORS, YOU HELPED WITH THE OPIATE FUNDING. WE BROUGHT NAVIGATORS THAT ARE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUR RESPONDERS ARE THERE. AND COMMUNITY RESPONDERS AND CORE RESPONDERS. WHAT WE FOUND IS PEOPLE ARE COMING FORWARD THAT NORMALLY WOULDN'T HAVE. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATIONS. WE'VE GIVEN AN ULTRAP SOUND THAT ARE NO PRENATAL CARE. AND THEY WERE DECIDING THEY WERE GIVING ON-SITE ULTRASOUNDS AT THE DISTRICT LIBRARY. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME TO SEE THE BABY AND DECIDED TO ENGAGE WITH THE PREVENTION TEAM AND GO INTO TREATMENT. THIS IS SOMETHING TO BRING INTO THE FIELD AND MAKE A BIG IMPACT. THAT'S ALL WITHIN ACS'S CAPABILITIES. THE DEPTHS HAS BEEN AMAZING TO BUILD OUT. WE'RE GETTING BETTER AT WHAT WE'RE DOING. I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS. >>COUN. PEÑA: ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR BACA. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE THESE FIRSTHAND OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND THE EVOLUTION AND HOW IT'S IMPROVED. I WENT WITH COUNCILOR CHAMPINE ON ONE OF THESE. ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, PHENOMENAL WORK. JUST A BIG THANK YOU FROM ME TO YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED. I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: I JUST WANT TO SAY BEFORE I HAND IT BACK TO COUNCILOR GROUT IS YOU'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT ACS AND BRINGING THIS DEPARTMENT ON BOARD, IT WAS ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE. YOU HAD YOUR HANDS FULL AND YOU HAD TO GO AND RESPOND TO CALLS. BUT TO SEE YOU COME BACK TO WHAT YOUR ORIGINAL VISION WAS AND SEE THE HARDWORK YOU'RE DOING, THERE'S PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE ACTUALLY -- YOU'RE REACH OUT TO THEM. AND IT'S REALLY A TREMENDOUS HELP TO THEM. THANK YOU GUYS. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. I HAVE LOVED TO TAUCH -- WATCH YOU GROW AND EVOLVE. I THINK YOU'RE GETTING BETTER AT YOUR JOB. THAT'S HOW YOU'RE SEEING WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK AND SO FORTH. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO SEE. THE COMMUNITY, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, PARTNERS, COMING TOGETHER AND GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT SITTING BEHIND A DESK WAITING FOR THEM TO COME TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO. NOT AS EASY. GOING OUT INTO THE FIELD, AND YOU EVEN TOLD ME WHEN WE MEET LAST WEEK, YOU'RE ACTUALLY SETTING UP IN AN AREA AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT INTO THE AREA. YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THEM. YOU'RE NOT WAITING FOR THEM TO COME. AS YOU DO THAT, I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WILL HEAR ABOUT YOUR SERVICES AND WILL COME AND TAKE PART IN IT. I LOVE THAT MVD IS THERE. DON'T HAVE AN I.D., LET'S GET IT DOWN NOW. THE STORY ABOUT THE WOMAN GETTING TO HEAR ABOUT HER BABY, THAT'S SWEET AND SPECIAL. THAT'S JUST WHAT WE NEED. GOODWILL, I JUST LOVE PARTNERSHIP THAT GOODWILL BROUGHT TO OUR CITY AND COMMUNITY. THEY'RE FINDING JOBS FOR PEEP -- PEOPLE. IT'S WORKING. AND DR. FOX AND HIS OUTREACH TEAM. VERY GOOD. THE INTEGRATION TEAM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE HELPING. THIS WARMS MY HEART MORE THAN YOU KNOW. TO SEE THE HELP YOU'RE BRINGING TO THE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS. I WISH YOU MUCH SUCCESS, CONTINUED SUCCESS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING BETTER NUMBERS. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND COUNCILORS. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM DR. SANCHEZ, ARTS AND CULTURE DIRECTOR. AND CEO OF VISIT ALBUQUERQUE WHO WILL PROVIDE A QUARTERLY UPDATE ON ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL. WELCOME LADIES. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. IT IS THE CENTENNIAL, SO THIS IS OUR LAST PRESENTATION? I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN IT. WE'RE SAYING IT'S LAUNCHED. WE'RE GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT. REALLY QUICKLY. OUR ART FIELD ROAD STRIP WHICH IS THE SIGNATURE LAUNCH IS LAUNCHED. 18 MILES, 19 ART ACTIVATIONS, 20 ARTISTS AND ONE POET. YOU CAN FIND THE APP OR THE NAVIGATION ON THAT AT THE ROUTE 66 REMIX DOT COM. AND YOU CAN GET THERE THROUGH VISIT ALBUQUERQUE'S WEBSITE. WE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE ON THIS LAST WEEK. COUNCILOR PEÑA WAS THERE WITH US. AND IT WAS GREAT FUN. WE THOUGHT IT WAS SUPER AMAZING AND POPULAR, NOW IT'S DOUBLE POPULAR. THANKS TO AFR. THANK THEM FOR A LITTLE BIT EXTRA LOVE FOR OUR TWO FINAL INSTALLATIONS. AND WE HAVE, JUST REALLY QUICK, WE HAVE GOOD NATIONAL WINDS. SAMANTHA BROWN PLACES TO LOVE, FEATURING THE KIMO IS SHOWING NATIONALLY. WE GOT GREAT ATTENTION FOR THAT. IT DOESN'T JUST FOCUS ON THE KIMO. ALBUQUERQUE GOT GREAT PRESS. THE ROUTE 66 REMIX IS DESIGNATED AS A CERTIFIED ACTIVITY OF THE NATIONAL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. THAT'S GREAT. WE GET A LOT OF EXTRA ATTENTION AND WE GET ON A LOT OF OTHER CALENDARS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES. THAT'S A BIG DEAL. AND THEN, ALBUQUERQUE IS A SATELLITE CITY FOR THE NATIONAL KICKOFF EVENT ON APRIL 30th. STAY TUNED FOR MORE OF THAT. I'M GOING TO PASS THIS ON. ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT, THE ROUTE 66 VIT -- VISITOR CENTER, IT'S IN THE SECOND PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION. IT WILL BE OPENING ON APRIL 4th. JOIN ME. NEW EXHIBITS. NEW CENTRAL PERMANENT, SEMI-PERMANENT EXHIBIT AND AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT. APRIL 4th. HOPE YOU CAN BE THERE. I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO TONYA. NOW THAT WE MADE COOL STUFF, SHE'S GOING TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY NATIONALLY AND PERHAPS INTERNATIONALLY TO COME. >> THANK YOU, DR. SANCHEZ. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL, IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS NOW THAT WE'RE IN 2026 THAT HAVE COME TO FRUITION. WE HOPE EVERYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE ROUTE 66ABQ DOT COM. THAT'S A COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE WITH STORIES, AND WE HAVE ENTIRE SECTION DEDICATED TO IT. IF YOU WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE ROADRUNNER EVENT NEWSLETTER, THERE'S TWO QR CODE FOR THAT. WE HAVE MEDIA AND PR OPPORTUNITIES, MEDIA MISSIONS AND TRADE MISSIONS FOR ROUTE 66. LARGE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS WITH NATIONAL ADVERTISING AND DIGITAL ADVERTISING, PRESENCE IN MAJOR AIRPORTS AND VIDEO SPOTS. THE ALBUQUERQUE VISITOR GUIDE HAS A SEVEN-PAGE FEATURE DEDICATED TO ROUTE 66. AND ORGANIC AND PAID SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS. I JUST WANT TO HIT ON THE HIGHLIGHTS. ALBUQUERQUE THIS YEAR, THANKS TO THE CENTENNIAL, THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE THE TOP VACATION 2026. ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO GO FOR 2026. FARMER'S BEST PLACES TO GO IN 2026. EIGHT AFFORDABLE DESTINATIONS. AND SAMANTHA BROWN'S PLACES TO LOVE. I HAVE A COUPLE OF THESE BECAUSE THESE SNAPSHOTS DON'T PAY JUSTICE. IF YOU LIKE TO LOOK AT THESE MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS, JUST A REALLY OPPORTUNITY FOR ALBUQUERQUE TO CAPITALIZE ON THE INTEREST THANKS TO THE GOOD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE. I WANTED TO HIT A FEW KEY DATES. I'M NOT GOING TO HIT ON ALL OF THESE. JUST A FEW THINGS HAPPENING. OF COURSE, JULY 18th ROUTE 66 SUMMER FEST. NOVEMBER 11th IS THE 100th BIRTH DAY OF THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM. THINGS THAT ARE LOCAL WILL BE THE ROADS AND RAILS FESTIVAL, THEY'RE DOING IT HERE IN APRIL. THE OTHER ROUTE 66 EXHIBIT OPENING AT ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM. THE GREAT RACE IS COMING THROUGH ALBUQUERQUE JUNE 20th. THAT'S AT BALLOON FIESTA PARK. AND THE BANDS OF ENCHANTMENT IS SEPTEMBER 26th. JUST TO TALK ABOUT WHY THIS IS MEANINGFUL, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR US FOR CONVERSION OF TRAVELLERS. WE KNOW THE INTEREST HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT FROM AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY UK, GERMANY, JAPAN. WE ARE LOOK AT CAPITALIZING ON INCREASING IN THE INTERNATIONAL TOURISM BUT ALSO DOMESTIC. JUST LOOKING AT EARLY 2025. THESE SPECIFICS SHOW TRAVELLERS COMING TO ALBUQUERQUE, 7% WERE ON ROUTE 66. ON A ROUTE 66 ROAD TRIP. THIS IS EARLY 2025. THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 434,000 TRAVELLERS ON A ROUTE 66 ROAD TRIP. THEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE VISITORS THAT WERE IN ALBUQUERQUE WHO VISITED ROUTE 66 WHILE THEY'RE HERE. THAT'S 14% OF TRAVELLERS AT THE TIME. THAT'S 868,000. FROM AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, ALBUQUERQUE IS FEATURED IN 208 BOOKABLE INTINIARIES. AND OF THOSE, 65% ARE ROUTE 66-FOCUSED. THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FROM AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE. I STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, LADIES. DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE AMAZING THINGS. I WANT A FOLLOW UP ON THE BANNERS IN MY DISTRICT. WE HAD A LOVELY PUBLIC COMMENTER TALK ABOUT THEM. I JUST SAW ANOTHER ONE IN THE HIGHLAND DISTRICT, IT SAYS HI-LAND. SOMEBODY MADE AN MEME SAYING HIGH-LAND. I DON'T THINK THAT LEAVES US WITH A GOOD CONITATION. I JUST WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE IN FIXING THE CENTENNIAL BANNERS WHERE IT DIDN'T GO OVER VERY WELL. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THAT. I BELIEVE WE COPIED YOU ON A RESPONSE TO THE COMMUNITY INQUIRY. WE HAVE A QUOTE. WE'RE DESIGNING THE BANNERS FOR SILVER HILL. WE'LL GET THEM INSTALLED AS SOON AS WE CAN PRINT THEM, SCHEDULE INSTALLATION, AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IT'S WELL UNDERWAY. >>COUN. ROGERS: I ASK IF I CAN LOOK AT THEM BEFORE WE PURCHASED THEM. IT'S NOT JUST SILVER HILLS, WE SENT A COUPLE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. IF I CAN LOOK AT THOSE BEFORE WE PUT THEM UP OR ORDER THEM, THAT WILL BE GREAT. OUR OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD COORDINATION COULD HAVE GIVEN THE FEEDBACK AHEAD OF TIME, SIEVING US EXTRA FUNDING IN HAVING TO REDO THEM. I WOULD LOVE TO CHANCE TO APPROVE THEM FOR MY DISTRICT, GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE BANNERS. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, AT THIS POINT WE'RE WORKING ON THE SILVER HILL BANNERS BASED ON THE AVAILABLE BUDGET. I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE OTHER REQUESTS YOU HAVE FOR CHANGING THE EXISTING BANNERS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I'LL JUST END IT WITH SAYING I THINK YOU HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. YOU HAVE WIN WORKING YOUR TAILS OFF TO GET THIS DONE. AND REALLY, ALL THE ACCOLADES YOU'RE GETTING IS A RESULT OF THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING. TONYA, AMAZING WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE COMMISSION. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE EXCITEMENT THIS YEAR BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF -- IF YOU LOOK AT THE MONUMENT THAT WAS PUT UP, I DON'T CARE WHAT TIME OF THE DAY, IT'S ONLY BEEN UP TWO WEEKS, AND THERE ARE CARS THERE. I WENT JUST THE OTHER DAY TO CONGRATULATE HIM AND HIS CREW, I DROVE UP AND THAT'S WHEN THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE THERE. IT'S LIKE THERE'S A PARTY OVER HERE. YOU DPIEZ -- GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE ON TO THE JOURNAL. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 17th JOURNAL. 18th JOURNAL. THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR ROGERS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED, SAME MOTION. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE ARE NOW ON COMMUNICATION AND INTRODUCTIONS. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE LETTER OF INTRODUCTION? HEARING NONE. I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE LETTER OF INTRODUCTION. THERE'S A MOTION, AND SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED NO. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'RE ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. THERE ARE NONE. NEXT, DEFERRALS AND WITHDRAWALS. ARE THERE ANY DEFERRALS OR WITHDRAWALS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. WE ARE ON ITEM 8, CONSENT AGENDA. ANY CHANGES TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: I'D LIKE TO PULL EC-26-41 AND 43 PLEASE. >>COUN. PEÑA: WE ARE PULLING -- THERE'S A REQUEST TO PULL EC-26-41 AND EC-26-43. WITH THOSE TWO ITEMS PULLED, I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA BEING APPOINTED TO SERVE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE'S A MOTION, AND SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. EC-26-41 IS FIRST QUARTER OF IPRA REPORT. MADAM CAO, IF YOU HAVE A DIRECTOR HERE, I JUST HAVE THREE QUESTIONS. WHY DO WE GIVE OUT THIS INFORMATION THAT'S REQUESTED OF US? >> COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THE IPRA REQUEST, WHY DO WE GIVE OUT INFORMATION? >> IT'S A STATE LAW THAT REQUIRES WE PRODUCE RECORDS TO PERSONS AS DEFINED BY THE ACT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: SO WE GIVE OUT VIDEO THAT THE CITY HAS AND HAS POSSESSIONS OF AND GIVES IT OUT FREELY TO THE PUBLIC BASED ON THE STATE STATUTE, CORRECT? >> THERE IS A FEE. THEY CAN INSPECT FOR FREE. WE DO CHARGE A FEE IF THEY WOULD LIKE COPIES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. IS THERE ANY CRITERIA FOR THESE REQUESTS? THE REASON WHY I ASK IS A LOT OF THIS REPORT SHOWED NUMEROUS COUNTRIES REQUESTING THINGS FROM THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. FROM SEVERAL STATES. THE TALK ONE IS ARKANSAS. IS THERE A CRITERIA FOR THIS REQUEST? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE NO. CURRENTLY, UNDER STATE LAW, THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THEY IDENTIFY THE RECORDS THEY'RE SEEKING. AND YOU ARE HIGHLIGHTING THE CONCERN WE FLAGGED IN OUR REPORT WHICH IS WE'VE SEEN EXPLOSION OF REQUESTS FROM OUT OF STATE AND OUT OF COUNTRIES. IT APPEARS THEY'RE SUBMITTING HUGE NUMBERS OF REQUESTS TO US USING AI. I THINK THEY HAVE AN INTERNET SCRAPER SUBMITTING SOMETHING. WE GET 20-40 REQUESTS FROM INDIVIDUALS ON MONDAY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: IS THERE ANY TIME WE TELL PEOPLE NO? >> WE CAN REDACT RECORDS, IF THEY DON'T DESCRIBE THE RECORDS THEY'RE SEEKING. WE CAN REJECT THE REQUEST. BUT WE CANNOT REJECT A REQUESTER'S REQUEST BASED ON LOCATION. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. MADAM PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR, I NOTICE THE NUMBER -- AND YOU TOUCHED BASE ON THIS REALLY QUICK. JUST REITERATE WHAT YOU HAD SAID, THE NUMBER KEEPS GOING UP AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS CONTINUING ABOUT HOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH THE BACKLOG. THAT'S JUST BASED OFF OF -- OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS IMPORTANT. BECAUSE YOU GUYS EMPHASIZE SO MUCH ABOUT HOW WE DEAL WITH THE BACKLOG AND THE NUMEROUS LAWSUITS WE GET IF WE DON'T TURN THEM OUT IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME FOR STATE LAW. ARE YOU STILL ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT BACKLOG? DO YOU SEE AN END IN SIGHT? >> THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTION. I THINK WE STRIVE TO CLOSE SMALL REQUESTS QUICKLY AND WE DESIGNATE BROAD AND BURDENSOME REQUESTS AS SUCH. WE HAVE A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME. WE REALLY DO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, BE IN CONTACT WITH REQUESTERS AND REDUCE OUR RESPONSE TIME. THROUGH JUNE 30th OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE DOING GREAT. BOUGHT -- BUT WE SAW THE EXPLOSION OF THE YOUTUBE REQUESTS. HUGE EXPLOSION. THE ANSWER IS I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW THERE'S AN END IN SIGHT. WE DID RECEIVE 20,000 REQUESTS LAST CALENDAR YEAR. I SUSPECT WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE 20,000 THIS FISCAL YEAR. BECAUSE THE VOLUME HAS NOT LET UP. ABSENT CHANGES IN STATE LAW, I DON'T SEE AN END IN SIGHT. WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING OUR RESPONSE TIME RELATIVELY LOW. THE CITY DOES GET A LARGE NUMBER OF SIMPLE REQUESTS. WE DO TAKE LONGER THAN 15 DAYS FOR A NUMBER OF REQUESTS AS WELL. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. >>COUN. PEÑA: DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT AC-26-41. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION, AND A SECOND. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THE MOTION WOULD BE RECEIPT BE NOTED. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: I'LL MAKE A CORRECTION TO MY MOTION. A RECEIPT BE NOTED. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR RECEIPT BE NOTED OF EC-26-41. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. EC-26-43, SECOND QUARTER FY26 SECURITY REPORT FROM APD, ACS AND METRO. I'M NOT TOO SURE WHO CAN ANSWER MY SEVEN QUESTIONS. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, DIRECTOR KEENER WILL START OFF AND WE'LL SEE IF WE NEED OTHERS. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: PERFECT. WHY DO WE NEED THIS REPORT? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, IT IS A DIRECTIVE FROM PREVIOUS ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH ON. THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE HAVE THIS REPORT DEVELOPED. ALTHOUGH, I CAN SAY WE'RE WORKING ON MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO IT AT THIS TIME. FOR INSTANCE, HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST BEFORE FEBRUARY, WE STARTED IMPLEMENTING WITHIN OUR ABQ RIDE DISPATCH TEAM A SYSTEM FOR REPORTING CATEGORY ALERTS WITHIN INTERNALLY. ABQ RIDE. AND SAM STANDS FOR SECURITY, ACCIDENT, AND MEDICAL. WE'RE COLLECTING THAT DATA. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT'S BEEN MISSING OFF OF THIS WHICH IS THE ON-BUS INFORMATION. WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THAT THROUGH OUR DISPATCH TEAM. WE'RE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH PERIMETRICS WHO IS CONSULTING THAT HELPS US WITH LONG-RANGE SECURITY PLAN ALSO ON DEVELOPING A DASHBOARD THAT WILL OVERLAY THAT ON TO A MAP. WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE WE NEED TO PUT OUR RESOURCES FOR SECURITY IN A TIMELY MANNER THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. IN THE READING, I DID SEE WE HAVE TRANSIT SECURITY OFFICERS, PUBLIC SERVICE AIDS, AND APD. WHY THE NEED FOR SEPARATE ENTITIES, THREE TYPES. WE USUALLY JUST HAVE METRO SECURITY. >> THAT'S PART OF THE LONGRANGE SECURITY PLAN. WE TALKED ABOUT THE MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO TRANSIT SECURITY. WE MIGRATED TO APD. IN CONJUNCTION WITH APD, WE HAVE THE TRANSIT SAFETY OFFICERS. THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DETAIN. THEY'RE JUST ENFORCING RULES TO RIDE. IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF RULES VIOLATION OR -- NOT RULES VIOLATION, BUT VIOLATION IN LAW, AT THAT POINT THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE THE DIRECT CONNECT WITH APD TO GET A MUCH QUICKER RESPONSE. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES, AND NO. WHY THE NEED FOR SO MUCH THEN? METRO SECURITY IS THERE, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE BUS STOP OR ON THE BUSES, METRO SECURITY WOULD FOLLOW. WHY HAVE WE NEEDED A PSA GROUP AND APD GROUP AND EVEN TO THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE. THIS GOES IN THE SAME THING. APD UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS. THE REPORT STATED THAT APD CONDUCTS UC OPERATIONS ON THE BUSES. WHY? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS NEEDED THIS. I THINK ONE THING THAT I FOUND THAT'S BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL IS THIS FORCE IS DEDICATED TO TRANSIT. OUR TRANSIT TSOs ARE COMPLETELY DEDICATED TO TRANSIT AS ARE THE PSA THAT ARE GIVEN TO US. THEY RIDE THE BUSES. THE SAFETY OFFICERS DON'T. THEY'RE IS MOBILE PATROL. METRO HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE DEDICATED OTHER THAN AT THE ATC. SO, WHEN -- THEY WEREN'T PROACTIVELY RESPONDING. THEY WEREN'T ON THE NETWORK OR ALL THE AREAS WE KNOW WE HAVE ISSUES. SO BY HAVING APD, TRANSIT SAFETY OFFICERS, THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR SYSTEM. THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE WAY WE OPERATE. THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE PEOPLE. AND THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT MORE PROACTIVE RESPONSE FOR US. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MADAM PRESIDENT, ONE THING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS MY GLASSES THAT FLY EVERYWHERE. THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. PROVIDES CRIME PREVENTION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ANALYST. WHAT IS EDA? >> I'M SORRY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ANALYST. ONE OF THE PARAGRAPHS IN THERE SAYS IT DESCRIBES PROVIDES CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ANALYSIS. I WAS CURIOUS WHAT EDA WAS? >> EDA? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YEAH, ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ANALYSIS. >> ARE YOU SPEAKING OF -- THIS IS -- MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, SUBHEADS ARE PRETTY NORMAL STANDARD PROCESS FOR HAVING PD COME OUT AND LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT AND SEE HOW WE CAN PREVENT CRIME. NATURAL DETERRENTS. LIGHTING, CLEANLINESS, MAKING SURE WE HAVE SECURITY PRESENCE. THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT HELP TO PREVENT CRIME. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: PERFECT. THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, HOW LONG HAS THIS TYPE OF SECURITY BEEN IN PLACE WITH ALL THREE ENTITIES? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS EARLY 2024 WHEN WE STARTED THE MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO TRANSIT SAFETY. AND THAT'S WHEN WE SET UP THE TRANSIT SAFETY OFFICER PROGRAM AND STARTED MIGRATING FROM METRO TO APD. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: AND BEFORE THAT IT WAS JUST METRO? >> BEFORE THAT IT WAS JUST METRO. YOU CAN GO BACK TO 2018 WHEN WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE WITHIN ABQ RIDE OUR OWN TRANSIT SECURITY FORCE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. >> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOVEMENT WITH TRANSIT SECURITY OVER THE YEARS. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: AND QUITE A NEED TOO, RIGHT? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE YES. THERE'S A NEED FOR TRANSIT SECURITY. THIS IS NOT SPECIFIC TO ALBUQUERQUE. YOU SEE THIS ACROSS THE NATION. MANY OF THE AGENCIES ARE STEPPING UP THEIR SECURITY FORCES RIGHT NOW. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: OKAY. MADAM PRESIDENT, THE TOTAL METRO CALLS FOR SECOND QUARTER OF 2025 WERE 2160. FOR SECOND QUARTER OF 2026, THERE WERE 69. THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE. IS THERE A REASON WHY IT'S SUCH A DRAMATIC DROP? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE YES. BECAUSE WE DON'T RELY ON METRO SECURITY FOR OUR SECURITY ANYMORE. WE HAVE MIGRATED THAT OVER. THE ONLY TIME WE USE METRO SECURITY IS IF WE HAVE TSO IN TRAINING, THEY DO THAT WITH ALL OF THEM AT ONE TIME. WE ONLY HAVE 17 TRANSIT SAFETY OFFICERS AND THREE TRANSIT SAFETY SERGEANTS AND THE PERIOD BETWEEN WHEN OUR BUSES START AND 7:00 A.M. WHEN THE TRANSIT SAFETY OFFICERS COME ON DUTY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THE SAME KNOWS FOR TRANSIT CENTERS, IN FY25 CALLS FOR SERVICE WERE 2537, AND FOR Q2 OF 26, THERE'S 680. THAT'S A 40% DROP. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, THE APC IS THE BIGGEST FACILITY THAT SEES OUR TRANSIT SECURITY CALLS. IT'S THE ONE WE SEE THE MOST ASKS. AND METRO USED TO PERFORM SECURITY THERE. THEY WERE THERE 24-7. WE DID TRANSITION TO APD TSO. AND ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR WE PULLED THE TSO OUT OF THE ATC BECAUSE WE NEEDED THE MOBILE IN THE FIELD. WE REPLACED THEM WITH CONTRACT SECURITY AT THE TIME. THOSE ARE LEVEL TWO GUARDS. THEY DO REPORT. IF THERE'S ANY AS WELL. I THINK THE REACTIVE CALLS YOU'RE SEEING DROP BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING THE PRESENCE WITH APD TSO. LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR SYSTEM AND THE PEOPLE OUT THERE. THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AND TALK ABOUT THE RULES TO RIDE AND WHAT'S ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT'S NOT. THEY KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE. THEY GET AHEAD OF IT WHEN THEY SEE THEM OUT THERE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: PERFECT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. DR. SENGEL, SHE DID A GREAT JOB. IT WAS OUTSTANDING. I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION. MADAM PRESIDENT, I MAKE A MOTION RECEIPT BE NOTED. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR RECEIPT BE NOTED. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCILOR TELLES. DO YOU HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE IN. >> COUNCILOR TELLES, YES. WE JUST IMPLEMENTED WITH OUR OWN AGENCY RIDE DISPATCH TEAM TO WHERE THEY'RE TRACKING THAT STUFF IN A MUCH BETTER FASHION. I EXPECT WE'LL ME ABLE TO HAVE A FULL QUARTERS OF DATA TO PROVIDE. I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE THE DASHBOARD RUNNING JUST YET. IT SHOULD FOLLOW SHORTLY AFTER. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. HOW ARE YOU MEASURING WHETHER YOUR SHIFT AWAY FROM THE METRO SECURITY IS PRODUCING BETTER OUTCOME OR WILL PRODUCE BETTER OUTCOMES? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, I THINK THAT CAN BE SEEN BY JUST HAVING THAT PRESENCE THAT IS DEDICATED TO TRANSIT. WE'RE SEEING AND WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR STAFF THE RESPONSE TIMES ARE MUCH BETTER THAN THEY WERE BEFORE. WE ALREADY HAVE THE RESOURCES IN THE AREAS THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE ISSUES. THE RESPONSE TIMES ARE MUCH BETTER. I THINK PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SEE THAT. >>COUN. TELLES: I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION, MADAM PRESIDENT, IS WHAT IS THE FORMAL HANDOFF PROTOCOL BETWEEN APD, ACS, AND TSO? ARE THERE ANY ISSUES THAT ARE CREATING PROBLEMS THAT CALLS ARE BOUNCING? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, ACS CALLS OUT IN A NORMAL WAY. WE DON'T CALL OUT ACS. THEY'RE EITHER 311 OR IT'S THROUGH 911 THAT YOU GET AN ACS RESPONSE. WE DON'T CALL THEM DIRECT FOR ANYTHING. I THINK THE HANDOFF BETWEEN OUR ABQ RIDE DISPATCH TEAM, THEY KNOW WHEN TSR AREN'T OUT SO THEY CALL METRO, AND WE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH METRO BEING THERE WHEN WE NEED THEM TO BE. AND CALLING OUT APD, TSO, THEY HAVE OUR SECURITY CHANNEL. A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE HEARING IT BEFORE THE DISPATCH TEAM IS CALLING THEM OUT. SOMETIMES, IF THERE IS ANYTHING SERIOUS IN NATURE LIKE A LAW THAT'S BEING VIOLATED, THEN OUR DISPATCH TEAM IS CALLING DIRECT TO APD TO MAKE THAT CALL FOR SWORN TO COME OUT TOO. >>COUN. TELLES: OKAY. THAT IS WHAT YOUR PROCESS IS? I KNOW ACS DOES NOT RESPOND TO SECURITY ENFORCEMENT. DOES THAT AUTOMATICALLY HAPPEN OR ARE THEY LISTENING AND JUMPING IN? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, ARE YOU REFERRING TO ACS'S RESPONSE? >>COUN. TELLES: YEAH, WHEN A -- WE KNOW WE'RE NOT RESPONDING TO SECURITY OR ENFORCEMENT ISSUES, WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL FOR THE HANDOFF WHEN THAT'S THE ISSUE? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, I JUST WANT TO RESPOND BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS CONNECTED INTO HOW ACS IS DISPATCHED WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK A CALL FOR SERVICE FOR ACS THAT COMES THROUGH 911 IS GOING INTO THE SAME DISPATCH CENTER AS AN APD CALL. THE CALLTAKERS IN THE 911 CENTER ARE MAKING THAT TRIAGE. WE HAVE FOLKS FROM ACS CONNECTED INTO THE 911 CALL CENTER. IF IT IT'S A 311 CALL TO ACS, IT'S ALSO DISPATCHED THROUGH 311 INTO THOSE DEPARTMENTS. I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT IS THROUGH THE 911 SYSTEM THAT DISPATCH OCCURRED. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT WITH THE SHELTERS. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED WE SWITCHED FROM METRO TO CONTRACTED SECURITY. DO WE HAVE A COST ANALYSIS. I KNOW CONTRACTED SECURITY -- IS IT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN USING OUR OWN METRO SECURITY. HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT CONTRACTED SECURITY INSTEAD OF JUST BRINGING METRO SECURITY? >> COUNCILOR ROGERS, YES IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE. WE ARE USING LEVEL TWO SECURITY AT THE ATC AS WELL. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE WAS A NEED FOR IT. I BELIEVE IT WAS THE ENCAMPMENTS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AT THAT TIME AT THE ETC. THAT'S WHERE WE ENDED UP WITH PD COMING IN AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL ALL THE POSITIONS WE HAD WITH THE TSO. WE HAD TO HAVE THE MOBILE COVERAGE IN THE FIELD TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD HANDLE ON THE TRANSIT SAFETY OUT THERE. THAT WAS THE DECISION MADE AT THAT POINT WAS TO GET THE APD TSO OUT OF THE ATC INTO THE FIELD AND BRING IN CONTRACTED SECURITY AT THAT POINT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. ANY PLANS TO BRING METRO BACK? KNOWING THE BUDGET OF THE CITY AND WHERE WE'RE AT, I WONDER IF WE CAN MAKE A BETTER DECISION AND NOT SPEND EXTRA ON THE CONTRACT SECURITY INSTEAD OF METRO SECURITY. >> YES, THAT IS THE GOAL IS TO BRING APD TSOs BACK. THAT'S WHY YOU NOTICE FOR THE LONGRANGE SECURITY PLAN WE ADDED THOSE POSITIONS IN. IT WAS LEAVING METRO AT EPC. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION. HOW DO WE TRAIN THE CONTRACT SECURITY? >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TRAINING PROCESS. IT'S THE SAME. WE STEP IN AND HAVE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. SO THEY'RE ON OUR CALLS ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO TALK ABOUT ANY ISSUES WE SEE COMING UP. ANY HANDLE THAT MIGHT NOT BE CORRECT, THAT'S HANDLED QUICKLY WITH THE TEAMS AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE EITHER NO LONGER WORKING FOR US AS CONTRACTED SECURITY AND THEY BUILD THAT INTO TRAINING. CONTRACTED SECURITY DOES THEIR OWN TRAINING, BUT THEY'RE ROPED INTO OUR TRAINING. >>COUN. ROGERS: DOES THAT INCLUDE OUR AMBASSADOR TRAINING THAT THE RIDE AMBASSADORS ARE GETTING. THE FEEDBACK IS THEY'RE CONTRACTED SECURITY AND THEY CAN'T HELP RIDERS NAVIGATE ANYTHING. MAYBE IF WE GAVE THEM AMBASSADOR TRAINING THEY COULD HELP RIDERS INSTEAD OF JUST WATCH RIDERS. >> THAT'S EXTREMELY FAIR. WE'VE SEEN THE SAME THING. WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR TEAMS. THEY'RE ON THE BUSES, ESPECIALLY -- THEY DO A NICE JOB OF GIVING PEOPLE RESOURCE AND POINTING THEM TO THE RULES TO RIDE AND ALL OF THE EDUCATIONAL STUFF. FOR GUARDER WORLD FOLKS WE DO THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES ON THE BUS AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEIR MANAGEMENT TEAM ON HELPING WITH THAT. ALTHOUGH IT HAS CONTINUED TO BE A STRUGGLE. WE'RE CONTINUING TO PUSH THAT OUT AS SOMETHING THAT'S A KEY PRIORITY FOR US. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR ROGERS, IT COMES TO OUR AMBASSADORS AND TO THE SECURITY WE HAVE. WE'RE IN ACTIVE RECRUITMENT TRYING TO FILL EVERY SLOT WE CAN, BUT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN ACADEMY. SO IF THE PRIORITY OF OUR ADMINISTRATION IS TO HAVE SAFETY. THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO SAFETY. YES, THERE MAY BE MORE COST, BUT AS WE FILL THE POSITIONS, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. WHEN IT COMES TO AMBASSADORS, THEIR JOB IS DIFFERENT WHERE THEY KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY KNOW THOSE THINGS. OUR SECURITY OFFICERS THAT WE HIRE FOR SECURITY AND THE AMBASSADORS ARE THERE TO CLEAN AND GIVE INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED. AS WE GO DOWN THAT, THAT'S THE TWO BIG THINGS. >>COUN. ROGERS: I APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST THINK WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AMBASSADORS. I THINK THEY CAN SERVE AS AMBASSADORS. I THINK IT ALSO HELPS WITH THE BUILDING TRUST OF SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. ALL THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING HARD AT. BUILDING TRUST. I THINK HAVING THEM BE ABLE TO BE FRIENDLY FACES AS WELL AS THE SECURITY WE NEED, WE CAN BALANCE THAT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ROGERS. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT FOR RECEIPT BE NOTED OF EC-26-43. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'RE ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. COUNCILOR BASSAN. >>COUN. BASSAN: MADAM PRESIDENT, THERE WILL BE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS MAFRP 4th AT 3:00 VIA ZOOM. AND THE MEETING FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 IS CANCELED. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THERE WILL BE AN FGO MEETING ON MONDAY. >>COUN. PEÑA: MARCH 9th AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ROOM 9th FLOOR SUITE 9003 CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE GOVERNMENT CENTER. BEFORE WE MOVE TO FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, I WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. I'M GOING TO DEFER TO COUNCILOR ROGERS. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COMMENTS MADE AT LAST COUNCIL MEETING. THE COUNCIL UP HOLDS THE RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH. AT THE SAME TIME, IT MUST BE CLEAR THAT RACIST REMARKS HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR CIVIC DISCOURSE. THEY'RE HARMFUL, THEY UNDERMINE DIGNITY OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND STAND IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO THE VALUES OF RESPECT AND INCLUSION THAT WE STRIVE TO UPHOLD AS A GOVERNING BODY. COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I APPRECIATE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION AFTER OUR LAST MEETING. AND I THINK THE KIND OF CHAMBERS WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO COME TO IS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU FEEL BELONGED. OR YOU FEEL BELONGING. I WAS REALLY SAD LAST MEETING, WE WERE INTRODUCING OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD AND SOMETIMES -- THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SOME OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE IN THESE CHAMBERS FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND HAD TO HEAR THEMSELVESES BEING REFERRED TO AS COLORED DURING THE MEETING. I'M GRATEFUL THAT OUR COUNCIL LEADERSHIP WANTS TO PAK -- MAKE SURE WE KEEP DECORUM IN OUR CHAMBERS BECAUSE WE ALL CAN BELIEVE THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT AMERICA. WE HAVE THE ABILITY -- THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY. WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE. WE DON'T HAVE TO GET ALONG. BUT WE DO HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER IN MY OPINION WHEN WE'RE IN PUBLIC SPACES TOGETHER. SO, I AM GRATEFUL THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN COUNCIL AND CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE MODELING THAT AS WELL. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT MYSELF AS WELL. MODELING THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEANS A LOT. BUT FOR OUR AUDIENCE, FOR FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING ONLINE, FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO BE INVOLVED CIVICALLY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THESE CHAMBERS ARE A SAFE PLACE REGARDLESS IF YOU'RE IN SUPPORT OR AGAINST SOMETHING. THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY. THAT'S THE THING I LOVE MOST ABOUT ALBUQUERQUE. TOGETHER, WE KNOW THATEE CAN MOVE FORWARD REGARDLESS IF WE AGREE OR DON'T AGREE, TOGETHER IN DIGNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>COUN. PEÑA: YOU NEED TO EXIT THE BUILDING. WE'LL HAVE OUR SECURITY -- >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO INITIAL INSTRUMENTS. [ YELLING IN THE BACKGROUND ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: LET THEM EXIT THE BUILDING PLEASE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE ARE NOW ON FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS. THERE ARE NONE. WE'RE NOW ON ITEM 11, APPEALS. AC-05. MARIA GONZALEZ APPEALS THE HEARING EXAMINER'S DECISION THE VARIANCE TO ALLOW 66-INCH PROJECTING WALL SIGN AT THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3715 SILVER AVENUE SOUTHEAST. ZONED MX-MZA2025-00170. THIS WILL BE A FULL HEARING. AND ALL PRESENTERS MUST BE SWORN IN. ANYONE WHO IS GOING TO BE PRESENTING ON THIS APPEAL, PLEASE STAND UP AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. DO YOU AFFIRM UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY WILL BE TRUE? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE TIME LIMITS FOR THE PRESENTERS ARE AS FOLLOWS. ARGUMENTS, EIGHT MINUTES FOR PRESENTATION OF APPELLANTS. EIGHT MINUTES FROM THE APPEALED DECISION BY BODY, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ZHE. THREE MINUTES RESPONSE BY CITY PLANNING STAFF UNLESS STAFF SPOKE AS OPPONENTS. AND TWO MINUTES REBUTTAL BY APPELLANT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR STAFF -- I DON'T KNOW IF JULIA OR MR. VICTOR -- >> THANK YOU, COUNCILAL PRESIDENT. JUST TO ORIENT THE BODY OF THIS APPEAL CONCERNS VARIANCE OF 30 INCHES TO ALLOW A 66-INCH PROJECTINGING WALL SIGN AT THE APPROPRIATE LOCATED AT 3715 SILVER AVENUE. SOUTHEAST. ZONED MXM. THE ISSUE IS THE ZHE DENIAL OF VARIANCE SHOULD BE UPHELD. THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED 5-4 TO REJECT THE LUHO RECOMMENDATION FINDING AND HOLD A FULL HEARING ON THE MATTER. FOLLOWING THE SAME PROCEDURE THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUST LAID OUT. >>COUN. PEÑA: WE'LL START WITH THE APPELLANT. YOU'LL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES. >> GOOD EVENING, I'M DAN MILL AER. ON BEHALF OF CITY ON THE HILL CHURCH. MARIA IS NOT HERE. I'M APPEARING ON HER BEHALF AS THE CHURCH. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TONIGHT. I LIKE TO USE YOUR TIME WELL. WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A RECAP OF HOW WE GUT HERE WITH THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND GIVE YOU DETAILS BEHIND THAT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON SO FAR. THE SIGN IN QUESTION BEGAN THIS PERMITTING PROCESS WHICH ORIGINALLY WAS DESIGNED BY OUR CHURCH MEMBERS. IT WAS INSTALLED ON THE BUILDING WE'RE RENTING ON SAN MATEO. IT REPRESENTS THE CENTRAL MESSAGE WE BELIEVE IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR CHURCH AND WHAT WE'RE ABOUT. IN 2021, WE PURCHASED THE FIRST BUILDING. WE RENTED UNTIL THAT POINT. PURCHASED THE BUILDING AT 3715 SILVER. IT WAS A FORMER CHURCH BUILDING THAT WAS IN EXTREMELY POOR CONDITION AND HAD NOT BEEN A USABLE STRUCTURE FOR YEARS. IN FACT, THAT BUILDING WAS THE SOURCE OF ONE EMS OR 911 CALL PER DAY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. IT WAS A SOURCE OF BLIGHT FOR THE CITY. IT WAS A DIFFICULT PROPERTY. WE INVESTED A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY. WITH THAT TIME AND ENERGY AND MONEY INVESTED OVER A YEAR AND HALF WE TRANSFORMED THAT INTO A THRIVING HOME FOR OUR CONGREGATION. WE WORSHIP ON SUNDAY. INDIVIDUALS, YOUNG FAMILIES, KIDS AM. I GATHER THEM INTO THE COMMUNITY ON A DAILY BASIS IN THE BUILDING. AFTER GETTING SETTLE INTO THE NEW SPACE WE INSTALLED THE SIGN THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED ON THE RENTED SPACE IN SAN MATEO. WE TOOK THAT SIGN AND BEGAN THE PROCESS OF WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE TO INSTALL THIS SIGN ON XYING PLACE. THE INITIAL DECEMBER WE WERE INFORMED DUE TO THE WIDTH OF THE SIGN THE IDO CODE LIMIT IS 30 INCHES. BASED ON THE INFORMATION, I VISITED THE CITY ZONING DEPARTMENT AND SPOKE WITH THE DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WHO ARE NO LONGER THERE IN THAT DEPARTMENT. I INQUIRED ABOUT THE PROCESS AND LIKELIHOOD A VARIANCE PERMIT WOULD BE WORTH THE EFFORT AS OPPOSED TO PURSUING THE OTHER OPTION THEY PROPOSED OF MOUNTING THE SIGN ON THE POLE. THE STAFF I SPOKE WOULD WITH COULD NOT GIVE ME ESTIMATE. THE PERCENTAGE OF THE VARIANCE BEING APPROVED, AND IT'S LIKELY IT WOULD BE RECEIVING FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION. BASED ON THAT WE SHOWS TO PURSUE VARIANCE PERMIT RATHER THAN MOUNTING IT ON THE POLE. FIRST, IT WOULD KEEP US COMPLETELY FROM HAVING TO REDESIGN THE SIGN. IT WAS BUILT AND STRUCTURED TO BE SIDE MOUNTED ON THE BUILDING. IT WOULD PRESERVE HISTORY OF THE SIGN. MOUNTING THE SIGN IS A PREFERRED OPTION FOR AESTHETICS AND SIGHT LINES FOR US AND FOR THE NEIGHBORS. I ALSO SHARED AT THAT INITIAL HEARING, SEVERAL HARDSHIPS WOULD BE INCURRED BY MOUNTING THE SIGN ON A POLE RATHER THAN ATTACHING IT TO THE BUILDING AS IT WAS PREVIOUSLY. THOSE INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT COST TO REDESIGN THIS SIGN AND AN ADDED COST TO ADD A LARGE CONCRETE BASE WIRING A SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURE WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE TO MOUNT IT TO A POLE. THERE'S A SAFETY ISSUE. THERE'S AN OLD STAINED GLASS WINDOW THAT COULD ALLOW SOMEONE TO USE THE POLE TO ACCESS THE BUILDING TO BREAK INTO THAT PART OF THE BUILDING. THERE'S ALSO CONCERN WITH VANDALISM. THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE SIGN BEING ON A POLE PUTS IT NEAR A STAIRWELL THAT PEOPLE CAN REACH OUT AND TOUCH IT OR POKE IT WITH THE STICK AND CAUSE VANDALISM WHICH IS A REAL CONCERN. WE'RE LOCATED IN NOB HILL. WE BEGAN THIS PROCESS DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO ADHERE TO THE ZONING REQUIREMENT AND LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBORS AND TAKE FEEDBACK AND INPUT. IT'S A VERY LONG PROCESS. I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE HERE TONIGHT. I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS TRANSPIRED TO BE HERE. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PEEK. I WANT TO SHARE FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE FINAL SIGN LOCATION SO YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THE RULING ON THIS. OUR CHURCH IS LOCATED IN HISTORIC DISTRICT. NOB HILL IN ALBUQUERQUE. WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS THERE. BEING AESTHETIC. WE SPEND LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY. WE SPEAK TO MOST NEIGHBORS EVEN IF THEY DISAGREE WITH THE SIGN OR LOCATION, THEY AGREE WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO TRANSFORM THAT COMMUNITY AND CARE INTEREST THE COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE WE'RE 200 FEET OFF CENTRAL AVENUE, WE'RE IN A LIMBO ZONE FOR ZONING. WE'RE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WE'RE CLOSE TO CENTRAL. SOME OF THE IDO DESIGNED YEARS AGO THAT ARE VERY EXTENSIVE AND LENGTHY ISSUES HAVE SOME BEARING ON WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO WITH THE SIGN FOR THE 30-INCH RESTRICTION. THE SIGN IN QUESTION IS 28 SQUARE FEET OF SURFACE AREA. IT'S JUST OVER 15% OF THE ALLOWABLE SURFACE AREA IN OUR ZONING FOR MX-M ZONING LOCATIONS. THE SIGN IS ON THE SMALL SIDE OF SURFACE AREA BY A LONG SHOT. IN FACT, THE PORTIONS OF THE SIGN THAT EXCEEDS THE 30 INCHES, I BROUGHT A VISUAL EXAMPLE TO SHOW THE COUNCIL, THIS IS THE TOTAL DISTANCE AND THE EXACT MEASUREMENT OF WHAT EXCEEDS THE ZONING IDO REQUIREMENT. THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS ABOUT THIS MUCH OF THE SIGN THAT PROTRUDES PAST 30 INCHES. THAT'S A PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE GOAL OF THE IDO IS PROTECT AND ENHANCE BUILDINGS, NEIGHBORHOODS, BUSINESSES AND IT SEEMS REASONABLE AND PREFERABLE THAT THE SIGN BE MOUNTED TO THE BUILDING, RATHER MULTIPLE FEET AWAY AS INSTRUCTED TO DO. BECAUSE IF THE PURPOSE IS TO PROTECT THAT AESTHETIC AND SIGHT LINES, MOVING IT FIVE FEET AWAY INCREASES COST, AND RISK AND VANDALISM. AND IT DOESN'T REALLY SOLVE THE THINGS THE CODE IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT. MY ASSUMPTION TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT IS IT IS A REASONABLE, I BELIEVE, EXCEPTION TO THE CODE TO BE ABLE TO GRANT A VARIANCE PERMIT BASED ON THESE THINGS. AND THERE ARE ONLY THREE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT TO THE SIGN. ALL ARE OVER 230 FEET AWAY. I PERSONALLY SPOKE WITH ALL THREE OF THE HOUSEHOLDS AND ONLY ONE IS OPPOSED TO MOUNTING THE SIGN. THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE IS AN OALITY FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT MAY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF BEING ABLE TO SEE THE SIGN FROM THE HOME. THE CITY IS WORKING WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S GOING TO DEVELOP A TRIANGLE AREA NEXT TO OUR CHURCH THAT WOULD GIVE A VISUAL SIGHT BARRIER TO OUR PROPERTY, PARTICULARLY TO THE SIGN. AND PART OF THAT DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRIANGLE WILL BE TO PLANT TREES. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE. THE NEIGHBORS SAY IF WE CAN LOCATE A TREE OR TREES TO MRAUK THAT SIGN, THAT WOULD GIVE YOU A BLOCK FROM BEING ABLE TO SEE THE SIGN HE'S NOT EXCITED ABOUT. BASED ON THOSE SOLUTIONS, WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS A FEW NEIGHBORS HAD, WE ALSO MODIFIED SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN OUR INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ELIMINATED THE -- WE AGREED TO PUT THE SIGN ON A TIMER THAT LIMITS THE NUMBER OF HOURS DURING THE EVENING IT WILL BE LIT. BASED ON THESE FACTORS, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THIS COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE VARIANCE PERMIT TO MOUNT THE SIGN TO OUR BUILDING AS WE BELIEVE THE SOLUTION IS BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR A PROMPT DECISION ON THIS MATTER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ORIGINAL PERMIT IS VALID ONLY THROUGH MARCH 10th. IF THE VARIANCE IS REJECTED, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MOUNTING THE SIGN ON THE POLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM ZHE. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT CHAIR COUNCILMAN. THIS REQUEST WAS FOR AN APPEAL TO THE MAXIMUM PROJECTION OF A SIGN. THE REQUEST IS FOR AN ILLUMINATED PROJECTED SIGN ON A BUILDING IS THAT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES THAT IS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING. THE IDO ALLOWS ONE PROJECTING SIGN IN THE MX-M ZONE DISTRICTS BUT LIMITS HOW FAR THE SIGN CAN PROJECT FROM THE FACADE OF THE BUILD TO 30 INCHES. THE REQUEST IS FOR A VARIANCE OF 28 INCHES BEYOND THE 30 INCHES ALLOWING FOR A TOTAL PROJECTION OF 58 INCHES, ALMOST TWO TIMES MORE THAN THE IDO LIMITS. TO ALLOW THE SIGN TO BE INSTALLED, ALMOST FIVE FEET FROM THE FACADE. FIVE FEET TO THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE SIGN. THE ZHE FOUND THE APPLICANT FAILED TO MEET THE BURDEN TO JUSTIFY THE REQUESTED VARIANCE IN TWO IMPORTANT DECISION CRITERIA. CRITERIA ONE, SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES ON THE SITE THAT ARE NOT SELF-IMPOSED. THE TYPE OF SIGN AND INSTALLATION WERE CHOSEN BY THE APPLICANTS. THE APPLICANT STATED THEY WANTED TO MOUNT A SIGN THEY ALREADY HAD AS A PROJECTING SIGN BECAUSE IT WAS LESS COSTLY THAN INSTALLING IT AS A FREE-STANDING SIGN. IN OTHER WORDS, THE HARDSHIP POSED BY THE REGULATION IS SELF-IMPOSED. THERE'S OTHER LEGAL WAYS TO INSTALL THE EXISTING SIGN THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE A VARIANCE. CRITERIA THREE REFERS TO ADVERSE IMPACTS ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES. THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT EXPRESSED CONCERN FOR NEGATIVE IMPACTED EXPECTED AT PROPERTY DUE TO VISIBILITY OF THE ILLUMINATED SIGN HOMES OR BALCONIES. WE STAND BEHIND THE ZHE DECISION AND THE LUHO RECOMMENDATION FOR THE APPEAL. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OR RESPONSE BY CITY PLANNING STAFF. AND NEXT WE HAVE TWO-MINUTE REBUTTAL BY THE APPELLANT, IF THERE'S ANY. >> WE FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE IDO AND THE DISTANCE. WE WOULD CONTEND THERE'S SIGNIFICANT ISSUES BASED ON THE MAIN STREET SIGN ORDINANCE. WE'RE WELL BELOW THE 50% SURFACE AREA. THE ENTIRE ARGUMENT IN REJECTION OF THIS BASED ON THE ZONING DEPARTMENT IS BASED ON THE DISTANCE FROM THE BUILDING. OUR ASSERTION IS IF WE ARE ASKED TO MOVE FORWARD PUTTING THE SIGN ON THE POLE, THE IDO CREATED A WORSE PROBLEM AND MORE VISIBILITY FOR NEIGHBORS AND MORE CONCERN FOR SIGHT LINE. THE SOLUTION IS WORSE THAN THE ALTERNATIVE. THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD STRONGLY ASK YOU TO CONSIDER. IF WE REJECT THIS TONIGHT, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO TRY AND THINK ABOUT PUTTING ON A POLE. THAT'S NOT OUR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, BUT THAT'S THE SOLUTION WE'RE LEFT WITH AT THIS POINT. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I BELIEVE THIS BODY HAS THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE A REASONABLE EXCEPTION TO THE CODE AND ORDINANCE. THAT'S WHY EXCEPTIONS EXIST. WHEN THERE'S APPROPRIATE PLACE TO DO THAT, I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE THING TO DO THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. WE WANT TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN OF ALBUQUERQUE. WE ALSO BELIEVE WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS SOME RELIGIOUS VIEWS BASED ON THAT SIGN. AND IT'S REALLY PART OF WHAT WE'RE ABOUT. I ASK YOU TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. A NO IS CREATING ANOTHER PROBLEM. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES THAT. BEFORE WE GO TO DELIBERATIONS AND DISCUSSION BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MOTION, I JUST WANT TO SAY WE HAVE THREE OPTIONS. ONE OF THEM IS DENY THE APPEAL AND ADOPT THE LUHO FINDING. AND NUMBER TWO IS DENY THE APPEAL AND ADOPT DIFFERENT FINDINGS. NUMBER THREE IS GRANT THE APPEAL AND ADOPT FINDINGS. NOW, WE'LL GO TO DELANEERATION AND DISCUSSION AMONG THE COUNCILORS. COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MAPPM -- MADAM PRESIDENT. ARE WE ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS? OKAY. PASTOR, IF I CAN ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTION, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOUR CHURCH IS IN MY DISTRICT. I WANTED TO START THE QUESTIONS TONIGHT. I KNOW I LOVE LAND USE AND ZONING. I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMITTEE MY ENTIRE TIME AS A CITY COUNCILOR. I KNOW FOR THE VARIANCES THERE ARE FIVE SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAT YOU MUST MEET IN ORDER TO BE APPROVED FOR THE VARIANCE. IS IT TRUE THAT YOU MET ZERO OF THE FIVE REQUIREMENTS SOME --? >> THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF INTERPRETATION BASED ON HOW THAT IS BASED ON DISTANCE. WE HAVE MET NOT MANY OF THOSE, YOU'RE CORRECT. THAT WAS WHAT WE STARTED WITH THE WHOLE VARIANCE PERMITTING PROCESS. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO FILE THAT PERMIT BASED ON THE ZONING DEPARTMENT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO MOUNTING IT ON A POLE. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO GO TO STAFF. READING THE RECORD, I READ THAT THERE WERE ZERO OF THE FIVE CRITERIA MET TO GRANT VARIANCE. [ INAUDIBLE ]. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILMAN. THERE ARE CERTAIN CRITERIA THAT ARE VERY BROAD AND THEREFORE THEY MEET THOSE CRITERIA. WE DON'T CONSIDER THE SIGN IS GOING TO AFFECT THE HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT -- IT'S NOT CONTRARY, PER SE, TO THE IDO. IT'S NOT IN AN OVERLAY ZONE. IT'S NOT CONTRARY TO WHAT ZONING ALLOWS TO HAVE A PROJECTING SIGN. IT WAS THE IDEA THEY DIDN'T CREATE THE JUSTIFICATION IN THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN TERMS OF WHY THAT SIGN NEEDED TO BE THIS WALL-MOUNTED SIGN. WE HAD A NUMBER OF COMMENTS FROM THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS WHO FELT IT WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THEIR IMPACT ON THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVEN'T HEARD -- WHATEVER THEY DISCUSSED BEYOND THAT, WE HAVEN'T EVALUATED THAT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS ABOUT THE LIGHTS AND FLASHING AND TIME IT WOULD BE ON? IS THAT CORRECT? >> RIGHT. THEY DIDN'T WANT THE LIGHTS ON. OF COURSE WITH THE ADDED SIZE OF IT, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK. THEY MET THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE. IT WASN'T TOO BRIGHT TO BE CONSIDERED -- >> WE DON'T KNOW. WE RECEIVED NO DATA CONCERNING THE ACTUAL LUMEINATION THAT WOULD COME FROM THE SIGN. >>COUN. ROGERS: DO YOU HAVE INDICATION BASED ON THINGS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE ALL FLASHING COMPONENTS REMOVED, ELIMINATING THE ISSUE BY THE ZHE REGARDING ILLUMINATION. THERE'S NO MOVEMENT OR ANIMATION. WAS THERE CHANGE FROM THE COMMUNITY BASED ON THOSE CHANGES? >> NOT THAT I RECALL AT THE LU HRBS O HEARING. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. WHAT KIND OF COACHING OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DOES THE DEPARTMENT OFFER IF SOMETHING ISN'T CORRECT ON AN APPLICATION? IS THERE ANY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE? MAYBE IF YOU RESPOND IN THESE WAYS GIVING US THE DATA TO MAKE A GOOD DETERMINATION, IS THERE ANY GOOD TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED REGARDLESS OF THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS, CHURCH OR ORTS WITH, WHAT KIND OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DO YOU OFFER? >> AS WE ANALYZE HOW AN APPLICATION MEETATIZE THE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE IDO, IF WE SEE THERE'S PROBLEMS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE SUPPORTING THEM ON THAT PARTICULAR THING, EITHER WE ASK THEM TO BEEF UP JUSTIFICATION WHICH A LOT OF THESE VARIANCES HAVE TO DO WITH JUSTIFICATION IF THEY'RE TECHNICAL ISSUES OR PLACEMENTS WE CAN RECOMMEND IF YOU SET IT BACK OR MAKE CERTAIN CHANGES THEN YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET AN APPROVAL ON YOUR APPLICATION. WE DON'T GUARANTEE APPROVALS. >>COUN. ROGERS: OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT MAY ME THINK OF ONE MORE QUESTION. I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT WITH THE VARIANCE THERE HAS TO BE AN EXTRAORDINARY REMEDY. IT'S LIKE THE LAST RESORT IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES. HEARING IT MIGHT NOT BE IDEAL, BUT THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE SIGN BEING USED, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH VARIANCES AND DO THEY NEED TO BE EXTRAORDINARY? THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS KNEW. I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT. >> THEY ARE, YOU KNOW -- VARIANCES, IF YOU STAY STRICT, THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO GET. OFTEN THEY'RE NOT EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. AND QUITE FREQUENTLY IT'S A MATTER OF SOMEBODY WANTING SOMETHING AND THAT'S THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE THAT'S NOT ON OTHER LOTS. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR HOW POTENTIALLY YOU CAN GET AN EXTRAORDINARY -- BUT USUALLY IT'S LIKE SLOPE THERE'S SETBACKS DIFFICULT TO MEET. OR IS THERE TERRAIN THAT'S DIFFERENT. THINGS LIKE THAT. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. I'M SORRY, I PROMISE, LAST ONE. IF THIS WAS ON CENTRAL, WOULD THEY NEED A VARIANCE FOR THIS SIGN, REGARDLESS IF IT WAS IN CENTRAL? >> THE NO NEON LIGHTS WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE WITH CENTRAL. BUT THE PROJECTION BEING BEYOND 30 INCHES WOULD REQUIRE VARIANCE. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ROGERS. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. IN READING THE RECORD, AND CERTAINLY IT'S HELPFUL HEARING THE TESTIMONY TONIGHT. REALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME CRITERIA. A CRITERIA THAT THE ZHE AND LUHO BASE DECISIONS ON, BUT ALSO THE SAME CRITERIA WE BASE OUR DECISIONS ON. AND THEY ARE SUBJECTIVE. THERE ARE SOME SUBJECTIVITY AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE DIFFERING OPINIONS ON IT. I THINK THAT THE TESTIMONY OF THE APPELLANTS DOES HELP TO GIVE SOME INSIGHT INTO THE CRITERIA AND IF THAT CRITERIA WAS MET. I KNOW THAT THE LUHO FOCUSED ON SEVERAL FINDINGS. ONE THAT HAD TO DO WITH, NUMBER ONE OF THE FIVE, SAYING THERE WERE NO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES APPLICABLE TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. THEY'RE NOT SELF-IMPOSED. THEY LIST THAT CRITERIA. AGAIN, AN OPINION ON THAT. ALSO NUMBER TWO, THERE'S INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO ESTABLISH VARIANCE WOULD NOT BE CONTRARY TO PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO GO THROUGH THE FIVE. BASED ON THAT TESTIMONY TONIGHT, I THINK IT SHEDS SOME LIGHT ON THE -- I THINK TO CLARIFY THAT COUNCILOR ROGERS MENTIONED THE APPELLANT OR CLARIFYING WHETHER THE CLIENT MET OR DIDN'T MEET. I THINK WE CAN GRANT THE APPEAL TONIGHT AND HAVE FINDINGS THAT WOULD SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY DO MEET ALL FIVE OF THESE. FOR EXAMPLE, NUMBER ONE, THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THERE IS A UNIQUENESS OF THE SITE. NUMBER ONE IS ALL ABOUT THE UNIQUENESS OF THE SITE. THIS SITE IS A BLOCK FROM THE ROUTE 66, FROM CENTRAL. IT'S IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO AN ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER THAT WE ALL CHERISH AS ALBUQUERQUE CITIZENS. IT DOES FURTHER NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES. AGAIN, THERE'S UNIQUENESS ABOUT THE SIGN. PRESERVES AND ENHANCES THE CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISTINCT IDENTITIES OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES. THE PLACEMENT OF THE SIGN ON THE CORNER IS THE ONLY WAY TO ALLOW FOR A CLEAR SIGHT LINE TO CENTRAL. AGAIN, BECAUSE THE UNIQUENESS OF THAT SITE, THEIR AUDIBILITY TO HAVE THAT SIGHT LINE. AGAIN, OUR STAFF COULD HELP US WITH THESE FINDINGS, BUT IT DOES FURTHER GOAL 7-3 OF THE COMP PLAN. IT STATES REINFORCE SENSE OF PLACE THROUGH CONTEXT SENSITIVE DESIGN OF DEVELOPMENT AND STREETSCAPES. THE SECOND CRITERIA HAS TO DO WITH VARIANCE. THAT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED OR MATERIALLY CONTRARY TO PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH OR WELFARE. AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY A CASE TO BE MADE THAT -- TO TRANSLATE. NUMBER TWO, IT ABSOLUTELY DOES -- IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT CONTRARY TO PUBLIC SAFETY. AS A SIGN, THERE'S NO PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIXTURE OF THE SIGN TO THE CORNER OF THE STRUCTURE. THE SIGN IS ALSO -- AGAIN, SOME OF THE THINGS WE FOUND THE SIGN COMPLIANT WITH THE STANDARD ALLOWANCE OF LUMENS PER STANDARD SIGNAGE. THAT COMPLIES WITH THE CODE. NUMBER THREE, TALKING ABOUT ADVERSE IMPACTS. THE VARIANCE DOES NOT CAUSE SIGNIFICANT MATERIAL ADVERSE IMPACTS ON SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VICINITY. THE SIGN DOES NOT ALTER OR IMPEDE ANY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA. AGAIN, AS STATED ABOVE AND WHAT WAS CLEAR TONIGHT AS WELL, THE SIGN WILL BE REQUIRED TO REMAIN AND THE APPELLANT SAID MAKE SURE THAT IT'S WITHIN THE LUMIN EMEGZ -- EMISSION STATED IN THE CODE AND THEY REMOVED THE FLASHING ACTION TO REDUCE LIGHT POLLUTION. THE LUHO MENTIONED THAT WASN'T TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BUT COMMITTED TO BY THE APPELLANT. NUMBER FOUR, WE COULD FIND THAT THE VARIANCE WOULD NOT MATERIALLY UNDERMINE THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE IDO. IT'S WITHIN THOSE STANDARDS OF THE IDO. AND THE FIFTH CRITERIA, THE VARIANCE APPROVED IS THE MINIMUM NECESSARY TO AVOID EXTRAORDINARY HARDSHIP OR PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY EASY CRITERIA FOR THIS APPLICATION TO MEET. SO, AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S SOME PRETTY CLEAR FINDINGS IN FAVOR OF THE APPEAL. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WILL MOVE TO GRANT THE APPEAL AND GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR OUR STAFF TO HELP US WITH DEFINING THE FINDINGS AND SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE CRITERIA. I GAVE SOME GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF IT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO GRANT THE APPEAL AND ADOPT FINDINGS OF AC-25-05. BEFORE WE GO ON, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? COUNCILOR BACA. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. IF I TALK ABOUT MY OPINION, THIS IS ON CENTRAL. WITH ALL THE SIGNS WE HAVE ON CENTRAL, HECK YEAH, HAVE AT IT. I LIVE DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE LIGHT POLLUTION CONSTANTLY. THAT'S OPINION. HERE WE HAVE TO GO BY RECORD IN FRONT OF THE ZHE. AS I READ THROUGH THIS, SEVERAL THINGS HERE. A QUICK QUESTION, WERE ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR MEETING TONIGHT? I'M NOT ASKING SIR, I'M ASKING THE PLANNING STAFF. NO OFFENSE. JUST THE OFFICIAL WORD. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR BAC -- >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR BACA, PROVIDE CLARITY ON WHO YOU WANT RON RE RESPONSE. >> THEY HAD NOTICE THROUGH THE APPLICANTS -- BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT APPELLANTS, THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE APPEAL. THEY'RE NOT GIVEN INDIVIDUAL NOTICE. THEY HAVE TO CHECK ON THE HEARING AND FOLLOW CITY COUNCIL LAST SESSION OF THE MEETING. >>COUN. BACA: NOBODY GOT A DIRECT NOTICE THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE? THANK YOU. THAT'S ENOUGH FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S WAS JUST CLARIFICATION FOR MY PART. AS I READ THROUGH THIS, QUITE A FEW OF THE NEIGHBORS WERE OPPOSED TO THIS PARTICULAR SIGN AND ITS LOCATION. IF THIS IS ON CENTRAL, NOT AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, AS WE WORK THROUGH IDO ISSUES REGULARLY, NEIGHBORHOOD EDGES IS SUCH A BIG THING. HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE RESIDENTS IN AN AREA. THIS IS RIGHT ON THE VERGE OF RESIDENTIAL SECTION. THE ADVERSE EFFECTS, IMPACTS TO NEIGHBORHOODS, CLEARLY IF YOU'RE A NEIGHBOR AND YOU SAY THIS IS IMPACTING YOU NEGATIVELY, SOMEBODY ELSE DOESN'T GET TO DECIDE THAT. THAT'S FACT. THIS WILL IMPACT ME. IT'S NOT -- WHEN I LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE SIGN, THAT SIGN IS BIGGER THAN ME. THAT'S NOT A SMALL SIGN WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE. THAT'S A NEGATIVE THERE. THIS BUILD WAS BUILT IN 1946. THERE'S BEEN A SIGN THERE THE WHOLE TIME, PER THE RECORD. JUST LIKE ALL CHURCHES IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE FOUR DOWNTOWN. NOT A BIG DEAL. SIGNS AREN'T A BIG DEAL, HOWEVER THIS SIGN IS A PRETTY BIG SIGN, WHICH THE NEIGHBORS, QUITE A FEW NEIGHBORS, SAID THEY'RE NOT OKAY WITH. AND I GUESS, YEAH, HARDSHIP IS SELF-IMPOSED BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ELSE. ALTHOUGH, I LIKE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING BETTER OR DIFFERENT. PER THE ZHE, THEY DID NOT FOLLOW THE I DISTURBS IDO. IT SHOULD BE CUT AND DRY. WE SHOULD DENY THE APPEAL. JUST ONE FINAL THING. SIR, THE APPELLANT SAID IF THIS GETS DENIED, THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. THEY'RE GOING TO PUT UP THE SIGN. IT'S NOT VERY NEIGHBORLY TO SAY IF YOU DENY ME, I'M GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT SOUNDS LIKE A THREAT, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE SMILING ON THE STAND. I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S WHAT YOU MEANT. I'M SAYING PER YOUR WORDS, IF THIS GETS DECLINED, IT'S GOING TO BE WORSE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S NOT TAKING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD INTO ACCOUNT. WITH ALL THAT, I THINK WE SHOULD DENY THE APPEAL. AND DENY THE CURRENT MOTION. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR BACA, THANK YOU. COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR LESLIE, YOU MENTIONED THERE'S NO DATA ON THE LUMENS, BUT COUNCILOR LEWIS SAID IT WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. I JUST WANT TO GET CLARITY ON -- I DIDN'T FIND IT IN THE RECORD. I JUST DID A SEARCH AND FIND FOR LUMEN, IT WAS SHOWN ONCE AND NO DATA ON THE OUTPUT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS. NO, WE RECEIVED NO INFORMATION ON LUMENS FOR THE SIGN. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. PASTOR MILLER, DO YOU HAVE THE LUMENS FOR THAT LIGHT? >> I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT. OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SIGN COMPANY WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT. I THINK IT'S ADJUSTABLE. I CAN'T VERIFY IT 100%. >>COUN. ROGERS: THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE APPLICATION TO GET THE VARIANCE. WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION IT'S HARD TO REALLY -- FOR ME, SENSE IT'S MY DISTRICT, I BALANCE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION THE OUTPUT -- I THINK I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HOW TO COMPROMISE WITH EACH OTHER TO GET WHAT WE NEED FOR THE CHURCH BUT ALSO RESPECTING THE COMMUNITY AROUND. THANK YOU. >> THAT'S OUR DESIRE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. COUNCILOR BACA, NEIGHBORS WERE NOTIFIED FOR THE RECORD. I RECEIVED THE SAME EMAIL THEY DID. THAT'S HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR ROGERS, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THE PEOPLE THAT WENT TO THE LUHO DID RECEIVE A MESSAGE ABOUT TODAY. BUT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TESTIFY BECAUSE IT'S A CLOSED RECORD. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, I SEE SEVERAL MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE AS BEING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AREA. >>COUN. PEÑA: I'M SORRY. THERE'S NO DISCUSSION. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. [ YELLING IN THE BACKGROUND ]. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ONE FOR OUR STAFF. WHAT IS THIS ZONED CURRENTLY? >> COUNCILOR, THE ZONE IS MX-M. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: WHAT'S THAT ALLOWANCE RIGHT NOW? IT ALLOWS WHAT FOR THE SIGNS? >> IT ALLOWS PROJECTION SIGN OF UP TO 30 INCHES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MADAM PRESIDENT, ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS? >> COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, I THINK THERE ARE NONE THAT EXIST WITHOUT A VARIANCE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: AND WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF A MAIN STREET CORRIDOR? I'M GOING TO PULL ALL OF YOU IN TONIGHT. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, THE BOUNDARIES OF MAIN STREET CORRIDOR ARE 660 FEET OFF THE CENTER LINE OF THE ROADWAY. WITHIN THIS AREA IT WILL BE THE CENTER LINE OF CENTRAL AVENUE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: GOING 660 FEET OR TWO BLOCKS BOTH DIRECTIONS? >> CORRECT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: WHERE DOES THIS SIT, THIS LOCATION? FROM THE CENTER LINE OF CENTRAL. >> IT SITS WITHIN 330 FEET. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: IT SITS WITHIN 330 TEAT. -- FEE . >>COUN. CHAMPINE: AM I ASSUMING TO SAY CENTRAL IS ROUTE 66, IT'S HISTORIC CORRECT? >> YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE ID O ABOUT HISTORIC AND REFURBISHED SIGNS WILL BE ALLOWED ON HISTORIC ROUTE 66. THE AMENDMENT IN THE IDO, IN 2025, ALLOWED HISTORIC NEON SIGNS TO BE REFURBISHED AND RE-INSTALLED EVEN IF THEY DON'T MEET STANDARDS. AS LONG AS THE DESIGN AND CHARACTER ARE MAINTAINED. AM I READING IT WRONG? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: WHO ARE YOU DIRECTING YOUR -- >>COUN. PEÑA: WHO ARE YOU DIRECTING YOUR QUESTION? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: COUNCIL STAFF. >>COUN. PEÑA: MR. COX IS MAKE WAY TO THE PODIUM. >> COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, I WAS REMINDED I MAY WANT TO BE SWORN IN. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THAT'S A GOOD CALL. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. DO YOU AFFIRM UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY WILL BE TRUE? PLEASE HOLD UP YOUR RIGHT HAND. >> I DO. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. >> THE COMPLICATING PART HERE ABOUT THE SIGN LOOKS NEON, IT'S NOT NEON. THAT DISTINCTION IS VERY IMPORTANT WITHIN THOSE NEON HISTORIC SECTIONS. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MR. COX, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT IT IS NOT NEON IT'S LED BASED ON THE CHANGE? [ INAUDIBLE ]. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: HOW OLD IS THE SIGN PASTOR? >>COUN. PEÑA: PASTOR, MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM. >> THE SIGN IS APPROXIMATELY 10-12 YEARS OLD. IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT AND INSTALLED ON OUR OWN RENTAL PROPERTY. WE TOOK IT FOR REFURBISH WANT TO LOOK AT INSTALLING. THAT'S THE HISTORY OF IT. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MADAM PRESIDENT, THIS IS FOR MY CLARIFICATION AND THIS WILL BE MY LAST QUESTION. THERE'S CONFLICTING STORIES. I MIGHT BE WRONG. YOU CHATTED WITH THE NEIGHBORS THAT THE SIGN WOULD AFFECT, BUT I HEARD DIFFERENT THAT A LOT OF NEIGHBORS DON'T WANT THIS SIGN. DID YOU CHAT TO THE -- YOU SAID THREE? >> THERE'S THREE RESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT. THERE'S A HANDFUL THAT HAVE VERY LIMITED USE. THERE'S THREE WITH DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT. I TALKED TO ALL THREE AND I SPOKE TO A NUMBER OF THE NEIGHBORS, SOME OF WHICH HERE TONIGHT IN OPPOSITION OF THE SIGN. WE SPOKE AT VARIOUS LEVELS. THERE'S A NOB HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION I PARTICIPATED IN. THERE'S MULTIPLE DISCUSSIONS. I'VE PROBABLY INVESTED ABOUT A HUNDRED HOURS. IT'S MIND NUMBING. WE WANT TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS AND FOLLOW THE PROCESS. IT'S NOT LET'S PUT UP A SIGN AT ALL COSTS, LIKE YOU MENTIONED. WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF WE INITIALLY TOOK THE ZONING COMMISSION'S ADVICE AND PUT IT ON A POLE. NO HEARING WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LIKELY APPROVAL. WE'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO SAY CAN WE JUST MOUNT THE SIGN AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND THEN NOT HAVE TO CONSIDER GOING DOWN A ROAD OF POTENTIALLY PUTTING ON A POLE. WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A REFERENDUM OF SIGN OR NO SIGN. WE BELIEVE WE HAVE A RIGHT TO PUT IT UP. WE WANT TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S SENSITIVE TO THE NEIGHBORS. WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A DISRUPTIVE FIGHT ABOUT IT. WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT MY COMMENT MAY HAVE BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD. LET'S PUT IT ON THE WALL OR POLE. WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE BEST ALTERNATIVE. THAT'S WHY I WANT YOU TO HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION ABOUT WHETHER IT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE AN EXCEPTION FOR VARIANCE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST REAL QUICK. THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON THE LUMENS AND IF THIS COMPLIED. THIS SIGN, LIKE ANY OTHER SIGN, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE WITH LUMEN EMISSION. THAT'S STATED IN THE IDO. I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN QUESTION. ALSO, I THINK, PASTOR, IN SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORS, WHEN I READ THE RECORD TOO, THE APPLICANT HAD MADE CLEAR ABOUT NOT ONLY THE COMPLYING ON THE LUMENS BUT ALSO THE FLASHING EFFECT OF ANY SIGN LIKE THAT, WHICH I THINK WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS OF ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS. I ALSO THINK -- PASTOR, I'M GLAD YOU HAD A CHANCE TO CLARIFY THAT. YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORS. BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE SOMEWHAT MISCHARACTERIZED HERE A LITTLE BIT AGO. OBVIOUSLY, AS A CHURCH, YOU'RE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY. YOUR MISSION IS TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND CARE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY AND THAT AREA. I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING THE APPROACH YOU HAVE AND GETTING THE CONTEXT OF IT. AGAIN, THE FIVE CRITERIA, I THINK THERE'S A PRETTY CLEAR CASE THAT THE APPLICANT MEETS AND IS NOT VIOLATING ANY OF THE FIVE CRITERIA WHATSOEVER. AGAIN, THE DECISION OF THE LUHO AND ZHE AND WHAT THEY EXPLAIN IS AN OPINION JUST ON SEVERAL OF THOSE THAT THEY CLARIFY. CERTAINLY, THERE'S A DIFFERING OPINION ON THAT AS WELL. THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS FOR AND THAT'S WHAT THESE HEARING ARE FOR, TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THOSE. THERE'S NOT A CLEAR-CUT VIOLATION. THIS IS THE PROCESS FOR REQUEST FOR VARIANCE, WHICH WE DO MANY OF THOSE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR TELLES. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR PASTOR MILLER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. EARLIER, YOU STATED YOU MADE SOME CHANGES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS, IS THAT CORRECT? >> AS I MENTIONED EARLY, I TRIED TO ADDRESS THE FLASHING ISSUE. WE TRIED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO LIMIT THE TIME IT'S LIT. WE HAVEN'T DETERMINED WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE. WE PUT THAT ON THE TABLE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE TRIED TO REPRESENT AT THE APPEAL HEARING AND EVEN OUR HEARING. THE COMMENTS ABOUT SELF-IMPOSED, YES, THEY'RE SOMEWHAT SELF-IMPOSED, I THINK AS I MENTIONED THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES. SAFETY VANDALISM AESTHETIC. SOME OF THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO REPRESENT. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. YOU'RE SAYING YOU DO NOT MEET PRONG NUMBER ONE BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE SELF-IMPOSED. >> SOME ARE SELF-IMPOSED, SOME ARE NOT. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, PASTOR DAN, IF YOU HAVE ADDRESSED SOME OF THESE CONCERNS, WHY NOT JUST DO A NEW PROPOSED APPLICATION INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE APPEAL PROCESS? THAT WAS AN OPTION PROVIDED TO YOU TO MEET THESE PRONGS. IS THAT CORRECT? >> CORRECT. THE OPTION WAS TO MOUNT IT TO A POLE WHICH I MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT. I AM NEARLY CERTAIN THEY WOULD NOT LIKE THAT OPTION. THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE NOT TO PURSUE THAT. >>COUN. TELLES: NA MADAM PRESID, THANK YOU. WITH REGARD TO YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY, WOULD GRANTING VARIANCE UNDERMINE REGULATORY CONSISTENCY TYPES OF SAFETY AND WELFARE? AND THIS IS FOR PASTOR OR OUR STAFF. >> I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT QUESTION. COULD YOU HELP ME UNPACK IT A LITTLE BIT? >>COUN. TELLES: SURE. IF WE GRANT YOU THE VARIANCE, WHAT TYPE OF PRECEDENT DO YOU THINK IT WOULD SET? DO YOU THINK IT WOULD SET A RESDANT THAT WOULD OVERRIDE SAFETY AND WELFARE? >> I DON'T THINK SO. I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT I KNOW IN THE LEGAL PRECEDENT BASED ON CASE LAW, THIS IS NOT THAT. WOULD SOMEBODY BE ABLE TO REFERENCE THAT, SURE? BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE LEGAL PROCEEDING WE'RE GOING THROUGH HERE TONIGHT. AND OTHER THINGS. THERE ARE SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE. IT'S NOT A CART BLANCHE THAT EVERY SITUATION IS GOING TO REFERENCE THIS DECISION AND SAY WE CAN DO THIS AS WELL. I BELIEVE THAT'S THE WHOLE NATURE AND HEART OF THE VARIANCE IS YOU CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION BASED ON ITS MERITS. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. ONE OF THE PRONGS IS THAT THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT MATERIAL ADVERSE IMPACT ON SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. YOU MENTIONED YOU SPOKE WITH THREE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT PRONG REQUIRES EVIDENCE AND NOT JUST THE ABSENCE OF OUTRAGE. DID YOU PROVIDE EVIDENCE DIRECTLY TO SHOW THAT YOU MET THE STANDARDS OF THAT PRONG? >> WHICH PRONG, AGAIN? >>COUN. TELLES: IT WON'T HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACT ON PROPERTIES. >> THAT'S A CHALLENGING THING BECAUSE IT'S VERY SUBJECTIVE. IF A NEIGHBOR HAS A VERY LIMITED VIEW AND THEY CAN SEE A PORTION, AND THEY DON'T PROVE APPROVE, THAT'S THEIR RIGHT OR OPINION. THAT SOMETHING THEY SAY IS A HARMFUL OR DISTASTEFUL THING, THAT'S THEIR OPINION. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT. BECAUSE THAT IS SUBJECTIVE, 100%. >>COUN. TELLES: QUICK QUESTION FOR LEGAL, MADAM PRESIDENT. ON THAT PRONG, DOES THE APPLICANT BEAR THE BURDEN OF DEMONSTRATING NO SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS OR DO THE NEIGHBORS? >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, THE APPLICANT BEARS THE BURDEN OF PROVING EACH OF THE FIVE REQUIRED ELEMENTS UNDER THE VARIANCE. THEY HAVE THE BURDEN OF PROVIDING THAT EVIDENCE. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. DID THE APPLICANT PROVIDE ANY EVIDENCE TO DEMONSTRATE ANYTHING REGARD THE FIVE PRONGS, SUBJECTIVE OR OBJECTIVE OR OTHERWISE? >> COUNCILOR TELLES, THE ZHE AND LUHO BOTH CONCLUDED THEY HAD NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE TO MEET THESE FIVE PRONGS. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, PASTOR MILLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. WE'RE NOT SAYING NECESSARILY THAT IT WAS DENIED BASED OFF OF SUBJECTIVITY. IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE NO INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO ADDRESS THE PRONGS TO IDENTIFY WHETHER THE EVIDENCE WAS PROVIDED. SO, IT MIGHT BE SUBJECTIVE, IT MIGHT BE OBJECTIVE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW AT ALL BECAUSE NO EVIDENCE WAS PROVIDED FOR THOSE PRONGS. IS THAT CORRECT? I'M SORRY. YES. LEGAL. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, THAT WAS WHAT THE ZHE AND LUHO CONCLUDED. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE CASE OF THE CODE PREVENTING REASONABLE USE OR GOING FORWARD. IT'S JUST MORE OF A CASE THAT YOUR APPLICATION WAS INSUFFICIENT. WHY NOT CONSIDER, PASTOR DAN, SUBMITTING REVISED APPLICATION? >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILOR TELLES. I WOULD ASK WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW WOULD WE BE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT WE COULD PROVE THAT THERE'S NO HARDSHIP POSED? THAT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TASK TO BE ABLE TO DO BECAUSE IF A NEIGHBOR SAYS IT'S AN ISSUE FOR THEM, IT'S AN ISSUE FOR THEM. I CAN'T SAY THAT'S NOT. SO THERE'S NO TANGIBLE WAY, THERE'S NO SCIENTIFIC WAY I'M AWARE OF, THERE'S NO BUILT IN PROCESS IN THE CODE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT. THAT'S PART OF THE TENSION IN THIS DECISION. I UNDERSTAND THAT AND APPRECIATE THAT. WE REALLY BELIEVE WE TRIED TO DO OUR BEST IN THIS PROCESS. SO, OUR INTENT IS NOT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL. BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO JUMP THROUGH 4,000 HOOPS TO PUT UP A SIMPLE SIGN THAT'S A KEY PART OF OUR CORE MISSION. >>COUN. TELLES: LAST QUESTION. THANK YOU. DID YOU -- I'M SORRY. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION. LEGAL, DOES THE ZONING OR THE LAW HERE, DOES IT APPLY FAIRLY TO JUST ANY ENTITY? REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE ENTITY MIGHT BE. WHETHER IT'S A CHURCH, OR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, OR A PRIVATE COMPANY, HOW IS THAT TIED? AND HAS THERE BEEN ANY THAT YOU CAN RECALL FACTORS WHERE THE APPLICANT SAID I CAN'T POSSIBLY PROVIDE ANY OF THE INFORMATION? OR KNOWING THEY HAVE OR TRIED ANYWAY. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR TELLES, THE VARIANCE TEST IN THE IDO ARE TO BE GENERALLY APPLIED. THERE'S NOT A DISCRIMINATION IN TERMS OF WHAT THE VARIANCE -- THE PURPOSE OF THE UNDERLYING BUILDING. >>COUN. TELLES: THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR BACA. >>COUN. BACA: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE RECORD IS CLEAR. I DIDN'T MISCONSTRUE ANYTHING. PASTOR MILLER SAID ON TWO OCCASIONS IF THIS APPEAL IS DENIED, HE WOULD PUT UP A SIGN AND THAT WAS GOING TO GO UP. IT'S POSSIBLE HE MISSPOKE AND THAT WASN'T HIS INTENT, HOWEVER HE FOLLOWED THAT WITH I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE MY BELIEFS OR DISPLY MY BELIEFS OUT THERE. MEANING HIS BELIEFS TRUMP THE 22 PEOPLE OUT THERE IN REGARDS TO THE SIGN. THIS ISN'T ABOUT BELIEFS. THIS ABOUT THE IDO CREATED TO CREATE CONSISTENCY. SO WE CAN RESOLVE ISSUES LIKE THIS. IN THIS CASE, IT CLEARLY DOES NOT FIT THE IDO. IT'S A HUGE SIGN IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA. IT'S NOT HISTORIC AND OUTSIDE THE MAIN STREET DESIGNATION. IT'S A CLEAR-CUT CASE. IT DID NOT MAKE IT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT BELIEF. IT'S ABOUT FOLLOWING THE RULES WE CREATED. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BACA. COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. QUESTION FOR STAFF. I'VE HEARD TWICE NOW THAT MR. MILLER WAS GIVEN A CHOICE OF APPEALING OR PUTTING A NEW APPLICATION THAT REQUIRED THE SIGN TO BE ON A POLE. I'M LOOKING AT THE RECORD, AND I DO NOT SEE THAT ANYWHERE. CAN YOU POINT ME TO WHERE THAT CHOICE WAS GIVEN TO THIS APPLICANT? AND WHILE THEY'RE LOOKING, THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE KIND OF THING THE HEARING EXAMINER WOULD TELL SOMEONE. THEY WOULD TELL SOMEONE YOU CAN RELY OR YOU CAN APPEAL. I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR FOUR YEARS, BUT I'VE NOT SEEN WHERE THE HEARING EXAMINER TOLD THE APPLICANT THEY NEEDED TO DO A NEW APPLICATION WITH A NEW APPROACH ON THE RECORD. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN, THERE'S A MENTION OF IT BEING ONE OF THE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TOPLAS -- PLACING THE POLE. IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT THAT IF THIS VARIANCE WERE NOT GRANTED, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT ON A POLE. THE LUHO AND ZHE INDICATED IN THE MEMO WE HAVE THAT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS IN WHICH THE SIGN COULD BE MOUNTED. WHETHER IT'S A POLE OR FIXED IN SOME OTHER WAY OR MOUNTED IN SOME OTHER WAY. IT'S THIS SPECIFIC CONFIGURATION IS WHAT THE ZHE AND LUHO FOUND NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE VIRIANCE CRITERIA. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. WE HAVE TO JUDGE THIS ON WHAT'S IN THE RECORD. I'M VERY CONFUSED AS TO WHAT THE ALTERNATIVE FINDINGS WOULD BE. THERE'S NO INFORMATION IN HERE THAT WOULD ALLOW ALTERNATIVE FINDINGS TO SATISFY EACH OF THE FIVE CONDITIONS IN THE CONDITIONAL CRITERIA FORM. I DID HEAR -- I JUST HAVE TO SAY WHERE DID HEAR IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. YOU CAN NEVER PROVE THAT. APPLICANTS GET THEIR PROPOSALS PASSED THE HEARING EXAMINER EVERY SINGLE WEEK. IT ISN'T IMPOSSIBLE. IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE WORK. AND THE WORK WAS NOT DONE ON THIS APPLICATION. BUT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE'S SUBJECTIVE THINGS IN THIS CRITERIA THAT YOU CAN NEVER DO IT, THEREFORE YOU SHOULD GET AN EXEMPTION FROM THE RULES THAT EVERY SINGLE OTHER APPLICANT IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE HAS TO ABIDE BY SEEMS DISINENGINE -- DISSENGENOUUS. WE HAVE RULES. THEY'RE CLEAR. IT SHOULDN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE. EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE TO PLAY BY THE SAME RULES. WE'LL SEE IF THAT IS THE CASE. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: COUNCILOR LEWIS TO CLOSE. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCES HERE. WHEN YOU ASK FOR A VARIANCE, YOUR DON'T CLAIM SPECIAL FAVORS. WHAT YOU DO IS YOU CLAIM THERE'S UNIQUENESS. ANYBODY WOULD DO THAT. WHETHER IT'S A BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION, OR CHURCH, OR ANOTHER TYPE OF ZONING. THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD DO. I DON'T MISTAKE CLAIMIC UNIQUENESS WHICH IS PART OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE VARIANCE OF THE CRITERIA. I WOULDN'T MISTAKE THAT WITH SOMEONE JUST WANTING A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE. THAT'S NOT FAIR. THAT WAS MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT, NOT BY THE APPLICANT, BUT THOSE WHO SEEM TO BE OPPOSING THIS. NO SPECIAL PRIVILEGES. AGAIN, THAT'S NOT FAIR TO TREAT SOMEBODY IN THAT WAY, REGARDLESS OF THE -- YOU CLAIM CONDITIONS OF UNIQUENESS, WHICH IS A PART OF OUR CONDITIONS AND OUR CODE. AND YOU ALSO MAKE THE CASE -- BY THE WAY, THE TESTIMONY TONIGHT IS RECORD. THAT'S MATTER OF RECORD. EVERYTHING THAT WAS SHARED IS A MATTER OF RECORD. THAT'S WHAT THIS PROCESS IS FOR. TO BE ABLE TO GET CLARITY ON THAT RECORD. THE APPELLANT IS NOT REQUIRED TO PROVE ANYTHING. THE APPELLANT IS SIMPLY REQUIRED TO STATE THEIR CASE. IT'S THE LUHO THAT MADE THE DECISION OR OPINION THAT IT WASN'T PROVEN. SO, AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WHEN WE HEAR THE RECORD TONIGHT AND I THINK I CLEARLY MADE A CASE THAT WE COULD DEVELOP FINDINGS. I GENERALLY OUTLINED THOSE. WHERE THE CONDITIONS OF OUR CRITERIA FOR THE VARIANCE HAVE ABSOLUTELY BEEN MET. BASED ON THE RECORD, BASED ON THE TESTIMONY TONIGHT. AND WE CAN HAVE A DIFFERING OPINION THAN THE FEW POINTS OF OPINION THAT THE LUHO HAD. AGAIN, I KNOW MOTION IS ON THE TABLE TO GRANT THE APPEAL. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LEWIS. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR AC-25-05 TO GRANT THE APPEAL AND ADOPT FINDINGS. THERE'S A SECOND BY COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED NO? THAT PASSES ON A 5-4. >> THIS IS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. IF WE CAN GET APPROVAL TO ADOPT FINDINGS AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, THEN COUNCIL STAFF HAS THE TIME TO PUT THOSE TOGETHER FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL. >>COUN. LEWIS: I MOVE WE ADOPT FINDINGS AND THE STAFF PRESENT THOSE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR GROUT TO DOPT FINDINGS AT THE NEXT MEETING. >> MARCH 16th. >>COUN. PEÑA: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES AND RAISE YOUR HAND. OPPOSED? SAME MOTION. JUST ONE? THAT PASSES ON AN 8-1. I DIDN'T SEE YOUR HAND, COUNCILOR ROGERS. WE WILL -- BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BREAK UNTIL 7:25. [ RECESS ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: OKAY. WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO INTO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE LIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE COUNCIL IN PERSON OR SEARCH VIRTUALLY. HERE ARE THE PUBLIC COMMENT GROUND RULES. EACH PARTICIPANT HAS TWO MINUTES PRESENT, COMMENTS ARE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. ANY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT WILL RESULT IN REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING. THERE'S A TWO-MINUTE TIME LIMIT AND THE BELL WILL RING TO INDICATE YOUR TIME IS UP. AS A REMINDER, PURSUANT TO RULES OF PROCEDURE, ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 8C, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL NOT ME PERMITTED ON QUASI-JUDICIAL MATTERS, PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR COMMENT RELATED TO ANY QUASI-JUDICIAL MATTERNICKING -- INCLUDING THE LUHOE HEARING WE JUST HEARD. PLEASE TAKE THIS TIME TO EDIT YOUR COMMENTS. PLEASE CALL THE NAME OF THE FIRST SPEAKER. COUNCILOR BASSAN WILL BE JOINING US VIA ZOOM. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS SARAH KELLY, FOLLOWED BY MYRNA. >> GOOD EVENING. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL AND SOME OF YOUR SPEAKERS ADDRESSED SOME CONCERNS I SPOKE OF AT LAST MEETING. THAT'S CONCERNING AN INCIDENT EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE ON THE PART OF CONTRACT SECURITY AT THE TRANSPORTATION CENTER. LUCKILY FOR ALL OF US, I'LL SCRATCH SOME OF MY INDIGNANT COMMENTARY THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE THIS EVENING. THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY I'M SCATTERBRAINED. IT WILL BE RATHER DISORGANIZED. I DO WISH TO -- PARDON, DO STILL WISH TO SAY THAT REJECTIONS OF PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST SHOULD BE MET WITH MENTION OF WHAT -- ALONG THE LINES OF A THOUSAND HOOPS THE LAST APPELLANT IS DISCUSSING. SPECIFICITY SHOULD BE GIVEN ON HOW RECORDS REQUESTS MIGHT BE BETTERED. PARDON THE DISORGANIZATION. CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT MORE AND MORE PUBLIC SERVICES WILL BE MET WITH PRIVATIZATION AND CONTRACT WORKERS, THERE OUGHT TO BE ONE OVER SIGHT AS CONCERNS PRIVATE MEASURES NEEDING PUBLIC SERVICES. I'LL HAVE TO COME BACK A LITTLE MORE ORGANIZED NEXT TIME. I WILL COMMENT ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT I THINK IS IN DIRE NEED. WATER KEY KEY OSCS AND -- DOES THAT MEAN I'M DONE? AND ONE AT UPTOWN TRANSIT CENTER. INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN DIRE NEED. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> MYRNA FOLLOWED BY NORA. >> I WILL BE TRANSLATING FOR MY MOTHER. >> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]. [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]. [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ]. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I WORK IN CHILD CARE AND I'M AN ACTIVE LEADER AND MEMBER OF EL -- I LIVED FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. ORGANIZING WITH EL CENTRO TO DEFEND IMMIGRANT FRNDLY POLICIES IN ALBUQUERQUE. WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE THIS ADMINISTRATION MASS DEPORTATION HAVE BROUGHT FEAR CHAOS AND SUFFERING. THEY NOT ONLY HARM FAMILIES BUT UNDERMINE PUBLIC SAFETY. IN ALBUQUERQUE ICE TARGETS PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, INTIMIDATES US AND EVEN WHEN WE GO TO BUY GROCERIES. IMAGINE THE FEAR WE FEEL EVERY TIME WE LEAVE OUR HOMES, THINKING WE CAN BE SPERATED FROM OUR CHILDREN AND NO ONE WOULD KNOW WHERE WE ARE. THIS GOES AGAINST THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS WHY I SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO FEEL LESS FEAR GOING TO A HOSPITAL, A SCHOOL, A SHELTER OR COMMUNITY CENTER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> NORA FOLLOWED BY OLGA. >> [ SPEAKING SPANISH ]. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM A PROUD MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER AND EDUCATOR OF CHILDREN FROM SIX WEEKS TO 12 YEARS OLD AND I AM A MEMBER OF -- TODAY WE SUPPORT INTRODUCTION OF THE ORDINANCE THAT IS A FIRST STEP IN REAFFIRMING THE VALUES OF WORKING COMMUNITY. AS A TEACHER I AM FACING A SERIOUS CONCERN. IT DEEPLY HURTS ME TO SEE FEAR ON THE SMALL FACES OF YOUNG CHILDREN, THEY ASK ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE US OR MY MOM OR MY DAD. NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO LEAVE WITH THAT FEAR. WE'RE ASKING FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE THAT CALLS THIS CITY HOME. WE WANT SCHOOLS TO BE WHERE CHILDREN CAN BE PROTECTED AND WE CAN TEACH THEM WITH LOVE AND HOPE. WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION SO OUR FAMILIES CAN CONTINUE WITHOUT LIVING IN FEAR AND OUR FAMILIES CAN LIVE IN SOLIDARITY AND RESPECT. >> OLGA FOLLOW BY ROSALIO. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WILL BE READING ON BEHALF OF OLGA. MADAM CHAIR, AN IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND JUSTICE ORGANIZER WITH OVER 6,000 MEMBERS. WE'RE PROUD OF OUR LEGACY LED BY IMMIGRANT LEADERS WITH POLICIES THAT RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THAT SAID, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MASS DEPORTATION, CURRENT POLICIES ARE NOT ENOUGH. WE MUST ALL WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMY. WE WANT TO THANK OUR CHAMPIONS THAT STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. TARGETING THE VERY WORKERS WHO ARE THE ENGINE OF OUR ECONOMY IS NOT ONLY INHUMANE BUT BAD ECONOMIC POLICY. INSTEAD OF SPENDING BILLIONS TARGETING OUR PEOPLE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHALL BE ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY AND HIGH COST OF LIVING. RESIDENTS FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS INCLUDING BUILDINGS THAT HAVE SHAKEN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY UNDERSCORES THE POLICY REFORM THAT DEFENDS THE SAFETY AND DIGNITY. IN ORDER TO PROTECT BUSINESSES, WE MUST PROTECT WORKERS, WORKERS CERTAIN THERE'S -- IF THEIR WORKPLACE IS TARGETED BY ICE. IMMIGRANT PARENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO MAKE SAFETY PLANS WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN CASE OF DO NOT RETURNING HOME FROM WORK. VICTIMS OF CRIME IN THEIR OWN HOUSE SHALL FEEL SAFE. WE KNOW SAFER COMMUNITY PLACES WILL NOT STOP ALL DETENTIONS, WE WILL NOT STOP ORGANIZING UNTIL ALL WE'RE ALL SAFE AND ABLE TO DRIVE. THANK YOU TO THE CO-SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE IMMIGRANT FRIENDLY IS EQUAL TO BURQUE STRONG. >> GOOD EVENING, CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I AM A MEMBER OF EL CEN TRRBGS -- I HAVE OPERATED FOR 30 YEARS. I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE SINCE THE ADMINISTRATION BEGAN OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY TARGETED BY THE PRESENCE OF ICE. AND INDIVIDUALS IN WHITE VEHICLES IN GREEN UNIFORMS HAVE SHOWN UP SPRAED SPREADING FEAR. SOME OF MY WORKERS HAVE MISSED WORK MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID OF BEING DETAINED AND NOT RETURNING TO THEIR FAMILIES WHICH HAS REDUCED MY WORKFORCE AND CUSTOMER BASE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT MY INCOME. I ASK YOU TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ENTIRE WORKING COMMUNITY SO EVERYONE FEELS SAFER VISITING PLACES. BUSINESS OWNERS ALSO NEED TO BEABLY TO PROTECT OUR WORKERS AND INFORM THEM IF AN AUDIT HAS BEEN REQUESTED. WE WANT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING OUR SERVICES, CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES. THANK YOU. >> ELISA FOLLOWED BY SONYA. >> [ SPEAKING SPANISH ]. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM PRESIDENT. I AM A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER. I WORKED TOWARD A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY WHICH ALLOWS ME TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY. TODAY I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SAFER COMMUNITIES ORDINANCE, OUR COMMUNITY INCREASINGLY NEED SUPPORT DUE TO THE CONSTANT FEAR OF ICE. DUE TO DETENTION SPACE ON RACIAL PROFILING AND THREATS OF LOSING BENEFITS. MANY FAMILIES LIVE IN FEAR OF GOING TO WORK OR SEEKING MEDICAL CARE DUE TO DETENTION. THIS IMPACTS HEALTH, INCREASING ANXIETY, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND CHRONIC STRESS. WHEN THE FAMILY IS AFRAID, THEY DO NOT SPEAK HELP, REPORT ABUSEORY BASIC SERVICES. I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER POLICIES THAT PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR FAMILIES. THE COMMUNITY WITH LESS FEAR IS A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >> SONYA FOLLOWED BY FRANCESCO. >> GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM THE ELEMENTARY VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ALBUQUERQUE TEACHER'S FEDERATION. I'M HERE REPRESENTING DR. BE RRBS S WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR UNION'S STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE SAFER COMMUNITIES PLACES ORDINANCE. OUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATORS IS SAFETY, WELL BEING, AND SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS. SCHOOLS MUST BE SPACES WHERE CHILDREN WITH LEARN AND GROW WITHOUT FEAR. FEAR CLOSES DOORS THAT EDUCATION IS MEANT TO OPEN. WHEN FAMILIES FEEL UNSAFE IT IMPACTS TENANTS, ENGAGEMENT, AND THE SENSE OF BELONGING THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES. IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES ON OR NEAR SCHOOL GROUNDS CAN CREATE ANXIETY, AND TRAUMA FOR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND EVEN OUR STAFF. BY PROHIBITING THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, AND OFFICIALLY DESIGNATING SCHOOLS AS SAFER COMMUNITY PLACES, ENSURES THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES CAN ACCESS EDUCATION AND RESOURCES IN A SAFE, AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF POLICY. IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC TRUST. MANY OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES COME FROM IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND THIS ORDINANCE SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE VALUES ALL ITS RESIDENTS AND ITS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE RIGHTS AND SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE ALBUQUERQUE TEACHERS FEDERATION APPLAUDS THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE THIS IMPORTANT STEP TO SAFEGUARD SCHOOLS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY SPACES. WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE SO THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN GROW AND THRIVE OUT FEAR. AS EDUCATORS, WE CHOSE THIS PROFESSION. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN. EDUCATION COULD BE A DOORWAY TO STABILITY, POSSIBILITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HOPE. WE ASK THAT YOU STAND WITH US IN PROTECTING EVERY CHILD. LET OUR SCHOOLS REMAIN SACRED PLACES WHERE STUDENTS CAN FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO BREATHE DEEPLY, BELONG, AND BE CHILDREN. >> FRANCESCO FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE. MICHELLE FOLLOWED BY LISA. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX. I'M HERE TO URGE ACTION ON SEVERAL URGENT CONNECTED PRIORITIES. FIRST, A QUESTION. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR ALBUQUERQUE? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT I SEE IS SPRAWL CONSUMING OPEN LANDS TO THE EDGES OF OUR PETROGLYPHS, IRREPLACEABLE HERITAGE BEING PAVED OVER FOR STRIP MALLS AND PARKING. I SEE UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS BEING SWEPT AND LOCKED UP WITHOUT APPROPRIATE SHELTER HOUSING OR SERVICES. THAT IS NOT A SOLUTION. IT IS MAKING THE PROBLEM INVISIBLE WHEN MAKING IT WORSE. THE CITY DESERVES LEADERSHIP WITH A BOLD AFFIRMATIVE VISION. EN -- INFILL HOUSING AND DENSITY NEEDS TO BE EASIER TO BUILD EXTENDING INFRASTRUCTURE IS ENVIRONMENTALLY RECKLESS. STOP SUBSIDIZING UNSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND LET OUR PLANNING PROFESSIONALS DO THEIR JOBS. ON RANK CHOICE VOTING, ALBUQUERQUE VOTERS DESERVE AN ELECKATORYAL SYSTEM THAT LETS THEM VOTE CONSCIENCE WITHOUT FEAR OF BACKFIRE. RANK CHOICE LEADS TO BETTER REPRESENTATION AND BROADER PARTICIPATION. FULY COMMIT TO VISION ZERO, PROTECTED INTERSECTION, REAL ENFORCEMENT, FIXED PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WALK. INVEST IN ALBUQUERQUE RIDE, TRANSIT IS FREQUENT, RELIABLE AND A REAL ALTERNATIVE TO DRIVING. ON RENTER PROTECTIONS, RISING COSTS ARE PUSHING PEOPLE OUT. JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS ARE A REASONABLE, NECESSARY STEP. ALL OF THESE ARE CONNECTED, WHETHER YOU ARE RICH, POOR OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN WALKABLE AFFORDABLE SAFE DEMOCRATICALLY VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE POSSIBLE. WE JUST NEED LEADERSHIP WILLING TO FOLLOW THE EXPERTS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. >> LISA FOLLOWED BY JOE. >> ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL, AN EMPHASIS ON THE ALBUQUERQUE PART. ALBUQUERQUE IS WE THE PEOPLE. THIS COUNCIL EXISTS TO DO BUSINESS FOR WE THE PEOPLE. TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE, COMMUNITY. COMMUNITY NEEDS, COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO TODAY. I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE. TODAY I SPEAK ON THREE THINGS. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR TWO THINGS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE COMMENTS MADE EARLIER TODAY PROTECTIONS FOR MARGINALIZED AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WE WORK TOGETHER. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ALL WORK TOGETHER. IT'S A BIG CITY. NOT COMPARED TO CHICAGO. WE HAVE A BIG CITY. THREE THINGS I'D LIKE TO -- THE SECOND THING I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TWO MINUTES. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND IF WE HAVE JUST A VERY STABLE -- LIKE WE HAVE 50 PEOPLE WE HAVE ONE MINUTE. LESS THAN 50 PEOPLE SIGNED UP, WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE TWO MINUTES. JUST BASED ON HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE SIGNED UP. THAT'S SHOULD BE A REASONABLE EXPECTATION. THREE THINGS. AFFORDABLE LIVING, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND APPEARANCE OF EVIL. THE FIRST IS THE PATTERNS OF VOTING THAT WE'RE SEEING MATCH DONOR LISTS AND CONTRIBUTING COMPANIES. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF ASSOCIATION THERE SOMETIMES WITH THOSE FIVE-FOUR VOTES. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND WE HAD OVERWHELMING PUBLIC COMMENT -- WE WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OVER AND OVER IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE VOTING AGAINST US. THINGS WE COME OVER AND OVER ASK YOU FOR AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE BECAUSE YOU ALL SEEM LIKE REASONABLE PEOPLE. NO TO CASITA SO GENERATIONS CAN LIVE TOGETHER. WHY? NO TO DUPLEXES SO THEY CAN PAY OFF SCHOOL AND CAR LOANS, WHY VOTE AGAINST THAT? NO TO TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENTS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDES US. PLEASE LET'S BE PARTNERS AND WORK TOGETHER. >> JOE FOLLOWED BY LINA. >> GOOD EVENING, I WANT TO START WITH OUTBURSTS WE HEARD EARLIER. PERHAPS NOT EVERYBODY WATCHING MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT IT. A GENTLEMEN USED A RACIST SLUR. I WANT SURPRISED BECAUSE HE USED THE SAME SLUR. I THINK HE MAY HAVE DONE THE EXACT SAME THING THREE MEETINGS BACK. I HAVE TO LOOK. I APPRECIATE MADAM PRESIDENT THE STATEMENT YOU SHARED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING. I GUESS I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE NO ONE ELSE ON COUNCIL AFTER THE SAME REPEATED BEHAVIOR HAPPEN JUST STAND UP AND SAY THIS ISN'T ACCEPTABLE. THIS ISN'T WITHIN OUR VALUES. I THINK IN PARTICULAR COUNCILOR CHAMPINE AND MADAM PRESIDENT COULD HAVE STOOD UP AND REAFFIRMED THAT. I'M GOING TO USE A TOUCH OF MY TIME IF IT'S OKAY TO SAY THAT ESPECIALLY TO FOLKS WHO ARE NEW TO THIS CHIMBER AND YOUNG FOLKS AND KIDS. YOU ABSOLUTELY BELONG HERE. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE. I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. I'M GRATEFUL YOU'RE USING YOUR VOICE. CONTINUE TO DO SO. WE ALL BELONG HERE. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS. IT'S THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. SPEAKING OF LEADERSHIP I WANTED TO TOUCH ON SOMETHING A COUPLE SPEAKERS MENTIONED. JUST SEEING THIS PATTERN THAT COUNCIL HAS TAKEN IN VOTING. I TALKED WITH NEIGHBOR OF MINE WHO IS A VETERAN, AND HE WAS REMINDING ME THAT WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER. A THING I TRY TO LIVE BY AND WORK BY. RIGHT NOW, OUR CITY COUNCIL IS MAKING CHOICES THAT SEEM TO HELP THE HEALTHY AND WELL-CONNECTED OVER THE HARDWORKING FAMILIES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IN OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL. I'M IN DISTRICT SIX. THIS COUNCIL VOTED 5-4 TO BLOCK PROTECTIONS THAT WOULD STOP JUNK FEES FOR RENTERS, A COUPLE OF OTHER VOTES PEOPLE MENTIONED BLOCKING THE ABILITY TO BUILD A CASITA OR DUPLEX FOR FAMILIES THAT MIGHT WANT TO TAKE CARE OF AN AGING PARENT. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER. TODAY I SEE A LACK OF LEADERSHIP ON THIS COUNCIL. I SEE A MESSY AND DIVIDED VOTE THAT GOES AGAINST WHAT PEOPLE WANT. I SEE DECISIONS MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING. >> LINA FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT COUNCILORS. I AM THE POLICY DIRECTOR WITH THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO. ON BEHALF OF THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO, WE'RE URGING THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT STRONG ACTION TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF COMMUNITY TRUST. HERE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY WE'RE SEEING A RAPID EROSION OF OUR RIGHTS. A VIOLENT DISREGARD FOR DUE PROCESS. NUMEROUS DEATHS AT THE HANDS OF FEDERAL FEDERAL AGENT AND RAMPANT RACIAL PROFILING. AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE CAN TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO ENSURE OUR CITY IS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND SAFER FOR THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE AND THE CITY CAN STRENGTHEN ITS LONG-STANDING POLICY TO NOT USE OUR LOCAL PUBLIC RESOURCES TO FACILITATE OR COOPERATE AND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND MASS DEPORTATION AGENDA THAT IS TEARING COMMUNITIES APART. BY TAKING ACTION, THE CITY WILL AFFIRM VALUES OF FAIRNESS, DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION AND DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO UPHOLD CIVIL LIBERTIES IN THE CRITICAL MOMENT. THANK YOU. >> JUSTIN FOLLOWED BY SIMON. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE TIME GOING BACK TO TWO MINUTES. IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO MAKE A BETTER POINT. I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE 5-4 VOTES AND ADDRESS THE MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST TO SAY I FEEL LIKE SO FAR IN YOUR PRESIDENCY YOU'VE LIN LETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWN. YOU WERE ENDORSED BY PEOPLE LIKE THE MAYOR AND DEB HAALAND. AND YOU IMMEDIATELY TEAMED UP WITH CONSERVATIVES TO BECOME PRESIDENT AND CHOOSE REPUBLICANS OVER MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN PARTY. I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING COUNCILOR TELLES REPLACING COUNCILOR SANCHEZ AND HAVING A MAJORITY ON THE COUNCIL, AND WE ARE EVEN AFTER THAT MEETING WE WERE ASSURED BY CITY HALL INSIDER THAT SAID PRESIDENT PENA WILL CONTINUE TO VOTE 90% WITH THE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS. LET'S EXAMINE THE RECORD. I HAVE TRACKED 25 TIMES THAT COUNCIL VOTED -- PEOPLE ONLINE WILL BE ABLE TO PAUSE THIS LATER. IT'S VERY SMALL. THREE PROGRESSIVE VOTED ONE WAY AND THREE CONSERVATIVE VOTED THE OTHER WAY. CONTESTED VOTES. YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES COUNCILOR PEÑA VOTED WITH PROGRESSIVE, ONE OUT OF 25. I DON'T SEE WANT TO BE ENEMIES. I'M GLAD I HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BE CRITICAL BUT OFFER HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. THERE WILL BE THINGS COMING UP WITH IMMIGRANT PROTECTION. I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER BEFORE. I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER RANK CHOICE VOTING. THAT GOES FOR EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. >> SIMON FOLLOWED BY BENJAMIN. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I REPRESENT MYSELF. RANK VOTING, AS LONG AS THERE'S NONE OF THE ABOVE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY WHATEVER IT IS EITHER PARTY IS SELLING. I THINK PEOPLE WILL BE MORE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IF THEY COULD REGISTER THEIR FRUSTRATION WITH THE POLITICAL PROCESS. NUMBER TWO, I SAW A WOMAN JUGGLING WATER BOTTLES IN THE MIDDLE OF CARLISLE. CARLISLE AND CANDELARIA. TWO PEOPLE SLEEP ON TIJERAS. A MAN ON THE BENCH ON EDITH. I REMEMBER WHEN A MAN WAS MURDERED HERE IN CIVIC PLAZA, HE WAS A MENTAL CASE. HE WOULD DEFECATE IN HIS HAND AND THROW FECAL MATERIAL AT PEOPLE AND HE WAS MURDERED. PEOPLE WERE HAPPY HE WAS GONE. WE NEED TO START DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOMELESS. WE NEED TO TAKE THEM INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY. IT CAN'T BE JUST PUSHED AWAY. AND CLEANED UP AFTER. AND HAVE IT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF PERMANENT PROCESS OF GETTING THESE PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND INTO A NORMAL LIFE, IF POSSIBLE. THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS. IF YOU CAN'T DO IT, I THINK YOU SHOULD ALLOW SOMEBODY ELSE TO TRY AT LEAST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> BENJAMIN FOLLOWED BY ALTHEA. >> CAN I GET THE OVERHEAD? >> MADAM CHAIR, COUNCILORS, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO YOU FOR A WHILE. I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE YOU AN INTRODUCTION TO WHAT STRONG TOWNS IS VIA SIX CORE PRINCIPLES. JUST READ THEM OUT. FINANCIAL SOLVENCY, TRANSPORTATION FOR MEANS OF TRANSPARITY, STRONG CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. I'LL GET THROUGH A COUPLE OF THEM. FINANCIAL SOLVENCY. WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT IS THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE ISSUING MORE THAN IT HAS IN INCOME. IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. I WON'T BE HERE FOR THE GO BONDS TONIGHT. GENERALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO PAY FOR LIKE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING TODAY WITH THE FUNDING OF TOMORROW. MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER WAY WE CAN STRUCTURE THAT. LAND IS A RESOURCE. THIS IS THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THE BASIC UNITS OF WEALTH THAT BUILD CITIES IS LAND. IT IS NOT PAVEMENT. PAVEMENT IS ONE KIND OF IMPROVEMENT ON LAND. THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE ON LAND, INCLUDING FARMS AND HOUSING. TRANSPORTATION AS A MEANS FOR PROSPERITY. THIS IS TRANSPORTATION SHOULDN'T BE AN END UNTIL ITSELF. IT SHOULD HAVE A GOAL. JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. THOSE ARE THE HALLMARKS OF SUCCESS FOR MUNICIPALITIES. THEY ARE A GOOD MEASURING STICK, BUT THEY'RE NOT THE GOAL BY THEMSELVES. STRONG CITIZENS, WE BELIEVE A STRONG TOWN IS COMPRISED OF STRONG PEOPLE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN JUST THE GOVERNMENT. THAT MEANS THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE BLOCK PARTY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH MORE NEXT TIME. >> ALTHEA FOLLOWED BY GRACE. >> MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO PUT ON MY TRANSIT VOLUNTEER HAT FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE COMMENT. DURING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, DIRECTOR WHELAN CONFLATED TWO AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS. HE WAS SPEAKING OF THE DUKE CITY COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS THAT WORK UNDER SOLID WASTE. THEY CLEAN MANY AREAS OF THE CITY, INCLUDING BUS STOPS. I BELIEVE DIRECTOR KEENER AND COUNCILOR ROGERS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ABQ RIDE AMBASSADORS OVERSEEN BY TRANSIT AND WEAR THE BRIGHTEST GREEN SHIRTS. THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS WHO ARE ALSO SUPER VOLUNTEERS AND ADOPT A STOP. CLEANING UP TRASH IS NOT ONE OF THE DUTIES. WE'RE GUIDE TO ABQ RIDE. WE PROVIDE A WELCOMING PRESENCE AT BUS STOPS WHILE EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AS NAVIGATORS OF RESOURCES. WE CAN EDUCATE ABOUT THE RULES TO RIDE, WE'RE NOT PERMITTED TO ENFORCE THE RULES TO RIDE BECAUSE WE'RE VOLUNTEERS. WE GET EIGHT HOURS OF TRAINING. AND THAT TRAINING IS SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE, LOVE TO BRING TO CONTRACT AND METRO SECURITY AS WELL AS OUR TSOs. I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. IT'S SOMETHING I DREAM OF GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY. TAKING OFF THAT HAT. I'M BACK TO BEING A CONSTITUENT FOR THE ACTUAL REASON I SIGNED UP FOR TODAY. I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE RANK CHOICE VOTING UP HERE ON THE LETTER OF INTRODUCTION. ALSO KNOWN AS INSTANT RUNOFF. THE LAST RUNOFF ELECTION COST US $1.8 MILLION. AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT ACCOUNTS FOR COUNTLESS HOURS FROM CANDIDATES, STAFFERS, ADVOCATES, POLL WORKERS AND THE VOTERS THEMSELVES THAT WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE OTHER IMPORTANT THEY WORK. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CRITICISMS THAT FOLKS WITH RANK CHOICE VOTING. IT MIGHT BE CONFUSING. I THINK WE HAVE THE SLOW COOKER RUNOFF. THAT'S MORE CONFUSING. WHERE WORKED THE LAST TWO RUNOFF ELECTION. I HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND RIGHTS. PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD TO VOTE AGAIN. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT. >> GRACE FOLLOWED BY CESAR. >> THANK YOU. I'M HERE TO DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR LACK OF PROGRESS AND AFFORDABILITY. AS A RENTER, I HAVE EXPENSES THAT GET BIGGER. RENT HAS BECOME UNAFFORDABLE. WHEN MY LEASE ENDS I'M FORCED TO CHANGE BETWEEN AI ALGORITHM HIKING MY PRICE OR STARTING AN IMPOSSIBLE SEARCH FOR CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES. PRICES ARE ONLY GOING UP. AND AS THEY KEEP GOING UP, AS BASIC LEVELLING EXPENSES BECOME MORE UNAFFORDABLE, WE'LL BE FORCED TO THE STREET. OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ARE NEIGHBORS TOO AND DESERVE THE SAME DIGTY AND RESPECT WE GIVE EVERYBODY ELSE. THE CURRENT SITUATION IN ALBUQUERQUE CANNOT CONTINUE. SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU MANY TIMES IN THE PAST AND ROUTINELY VOTED DOWN, 5-4, NO COINCIDENCE. NOT ONLY DID YOU VOTE DOWN COMMON SENSE RENTER PROTECTION AND ZONING CHANGES THAT ALLOW YOUNG PEOPLE TO BETTER AFFORD HOUSING, YOU DISRESPECTED YOUR COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR TELLES WHILE SHE WAS TELLING A DEEPLY PERSONAL STORY ABOUT THE LOSS OF HER MOTHER. SHAME ON YOU. WHILE WE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE DOING THE WORK LOOKING OUT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND TRYING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER COUNCILOR PEÑA AND COUNCILOR CHAMPINE LOOK OUT FOR THE WEALTHY. FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, ASK YOURSELF, WHAT IS THE VISION OF THIS LEADERSHIP? SO FAR IT'S LOOKING AT CONCENTRATING POWER IN THE HANDS OF THE 1% RIGHT OUT OF DONALD TRUMP'S PLAYBOOK. RIGHT HERE, I HAVE A CAMPAIGN AD, COUNCILOR PEÑA. YOU'RE BRIBED. DO BETTER. THANK YOU. >> CESAR FOLLOWED BY ANDREA. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M SENIOR ORGANIZER WITH COMMON CAUSE NEW MEXICO. I WANT TO START WITH A NUMBER. 1.8 MILLION. THE 2025 ALBUQUERQUE ELECTION COST TAXPAYERS $1.8 MILLION BASED ON THE FINAL BILL REPORTED AFTER RUNOFF. WE SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING THAT KIND OF MONEY ON A SECOND ELECTION WHEN THERE'S A PROVEN WAY TO GET A MAJORITY WINNER IN ONE ELECTION. ALBUQUERQUE ALREADY REQUIRES MAJORITY WINNERS. IF NO ONE REACHES 50% WE HOLD A SEPARATE RUNOFF. BUT THAT COSTS MONEY. AN INSTANT RUNOFF KEEPS THE SAME GOAL. A TRUE MAJORITY WINNER BUT DOESN'T WIN ELECTION. INSTANT RUNOFF ARE SIMPLE. VOTERS RANK CANDIDATES, AND IF NO ONE GETS MAJORITY, THE LAST PLACE CANDIDATE IS ELIMINATE AND THOSE VOTES TRANSFER TO THE NEXT CHOICE UNTIL SOMEONE REACHES OVER 50%. IT IS BASICALLY A RUNOFF JUST COUNTED INSTANTLY SO VOTERS DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK. I'VE HEARD CONCERNS THAT THIS IS CONFUSING OR UNFAIR. THE COURTS ALREADY DECIDED THAT RANK CHOICE VOTING DOES NOT VIOLATE THE ONE VOTE ONE RULE. YOU CAN CHAT GPT OR GOOGLE THIS. IF ANYONE STILL THINKS THAT INSTANT RUNOFF IS CONFUSING, I'M HAPPY TO DEMONSTRATE A RUNOFF ON RECORD AGAIN. IT'S STRAIGHT FORWARD AND CITIES LIKE LAS CRUCES AND SANTA FE WHICH ANYBODY HERE CAN VISIT -- I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO BRING THE COUNTY CLERKS TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. MY ASK IS SIMPLE, MOVE THIS ORDINANCE FORWARD SO ALBUQUERQUE CAN MODERNIZE OUR ELECTION, PROTECT TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND ELECT LEADERS WITH REAL MAJORITY SUPPORT. THANK YOU. >> ANDREA FOLLOWED BY AURORA. >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF -- SINCE 2010, OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE THE LATINO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY WITH TOP QUALITY ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS. OUR PROGRAMMING IS A KEY ONRAMP TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN ALBUQUERQUE PREPARING WORKERS TO FILL POSITIONS IN KEY INDUSTRIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING WORKFORCE SHORTAGES. IMMIGRANTS PLAY AN OUTSIZED ROLE IN NEW MEXICO'S WORKFORCE. FOR EXAMPLE, 10% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION ARE IMMIGRANTS, YET WE REPRESENT OVER 13% OF THE WORKFORCE. WE WOULD LIKE TO PRAISE BERNALILLO COUNTY AND THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE SAFER COMMUNITY PLACES ORDINANCE. THE WORKERS WHO CARE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS OUR CHILDREN, ELDERLY, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD NOT LIVE WITH THE CONSTANT FEAR THAT THEY OR THEIR CLIENTS AND OUR CHILDREN WILL BE TARGETED. AT A TIME WHEN THIS NATION SHOULD BE DOUBLING DOWN ON ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY, GROWING SAFETY NET BENEFITS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR TRANSITIONING WORKERS, IT IS A TRAVESTY THAT WE ARE HAVING TO TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL ECONOMIES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THAT SAID, WE ARE PROUD OF NEW MEXICO AND WHAT WE HAVE ALL BUILT TOGETHER. WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT ALLOW THIS ADMINISTRATION TO BREAK DOWN WHAT WE HAVE ALL BUILT UP, A STATE IN WHICH WE CARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, VALUE FAMILIES, AND RECOGNIZE THE VAST CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. PASSING THE SAFER COMMUNITY PLACES ORDINANCE IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO PROTECT OUR WORKERS, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. >> AURORA FOLLOWED BY TYLER. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT COUNCILORS. I SERVE AS THE POLICY AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE MANAGER AT THE NEW MEXICO IMMIGRANT LAW CENTER. I STAND HERE TODAY NOT ONLY AS A PROUD DAUGHTER BUT SOMEONE WHO CALLS NEW MEXICO HOME. ACCORD TO THE IMMIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE'S STATE LABOR FORCE ANALYSIS, IN NEW MEXICO, WORKERS BORN OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES PARTICIPATE IN A LABOR FORCE WITH 62% OF IMMIGRANTS AGED 16 AND OLDER IN THE LABOR FORCE. THIS IS A HIGH RATE. THIS MEANS IMMIGRANT WORKERS ARE CONTRIBUTING, PAYING WAGES, AND FILLING JOBS ACROSS MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES. IMMIGRANT OWNED BUSINESSES AND BROADER LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AND INVEST WHEN POLICIES PUT POLICY AND SECURITY WITHIN COMMUNITIES. WHEN SMALL BUSINESSES CAN OPERATE WITH CONFIDENCE AND GROW, THEY CREATE MORE JOBS, SUPPORT FAMILY INCOME, AND STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMIC FOUNDATION OF THE CITY. WHEN IMMIGRANT WORKERS ARE PROTECTED, BUSINESSES MAINTAIN WORKFORCE STABILITY, PROTECT AND PLAN FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH. WHEN SMALL BUSINESSES CAN PLAN AND INVEST WITH CERTAINTY, THEY CREATE JOBS, EXPAND SERVICES, INCREASE LOCAL SPENDING AND BUILD THE ECONOMIC RESILIENCE THAT OUR CITY DEPENDS ON. AS PART OF THE COLOR THEORY COALITION, A PARTNERSHIP OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACROSS OUR STATE, WE SEE EVERY DAY HOW ECONOMIC MOBILITY IS DEEPLY TIED TO STABILITY AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. WHEN IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES SUCCEED, ALBUQUERQUE'S ECONOMY GROWS STRONGER. I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE PROTECTING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AS YOU HAVE IN THE PAST BY SUPPORTING THE SAFER COMMUNITY PLACES ORDINANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> TYLER FOLLOWED BY MARIE. >> I WON'T USE ALL TWO MINUTES. I'LL NOTE THAT THE ROUTE 66 VISITOR CENTER IS NOT YET OPENED. THERE IS NOTHING ON ITS SCHEDULE FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF ROUTE 66. AND I HAVE A POEM FOR COUNCILOR PEÑA. THE AIR AGAINST OF THE CALL NIZER. THE AIR AGAINST OF THE CAL DESPERATION IS QUIET. DISTRACT WITH PROCESS. DEFINITIONS PRONUNCIATION AND PROCEDURE. THE AIR AGAINST OF THE COL NIZER HIND'D STAKEHOLDER. THE AIR AGAINST, IGNORE THE TRUTH. DON'T LOOK AT IT IN THE EYE. CALL IT COMPLEX. WHEN IT IS UGLY AND REAL. THEARY -- >> COUNCILOR PEÑA, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I RESIDE IN SOUTH BROADWAY. HISTORICALLY, ONE OF THE OLDEST BLACK AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY. AS A RESIDENT, I RECEIVE SEVERAL CALLS FROM FRIENDS IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR ROGERS FOR HER WORK IN CREATING THIS BOARD. THAT SAID, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THIS PROCESS BE SLOWED DOWN JUST A BIT. THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CONTACTED ME, MY FRIENDS, HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOARD SUCH AS WHO ARE THE MEMBERS, HOW WERE THEY CHOSEN, AND WHY DO SOME MEMBERS HOLD PERMANENT POSITIONS? I WOULD SUGGEST THAT EACH COUNCIL PERSON PARTNER WITH THE OFFICE OF BLACK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND/OR THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT TO HOST MEETINGS WITH THEIR BLACK CONSTITUENTS IN THE RESPECTED DISTRICTS. I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I DO NOT SPEAK FOR ALL BLACK RESIDENTS OF ALBUQUERQUE. BUT THE PARTNERSHIP WOULD GIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO FEEL GENUINELY INCLUDED AND HELP ADDRESS ISSUES WITH TRANSPARENCY. AND ALSO WOULD AUTHOR THE CHANCE THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE SUSTAINABLE AND VIABLE LONG-TERM. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. >> TAD FOLLOWED BY FERNANDA. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS TAD. OKAY. LET ME TELL YOU. YOU ARE NOT LAWYERS RIGHT HERE. IF YOU'RE NOT LAWYER, YOU CANNOT PASS LAW. LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON. PEOPLE COMING HERE TO THE MEETING LATELY. AND YOU DO NOT LISTEN TO PEOPLE COMING AND VOICING. THOSE PEOPLE FINALLY GETTING ANGRY. NOW, I BROUGHT -- ABOUT TEN OR FIVE, APD TWO FEDERAL JUSTICE. I WILL SEE AND I WILL BRING IT THIS CHAMBER RIGHT HERE. WHERE IT BELONGS. NOW, LET'S GO ROBERTS. SHE'S THE POLITICIAN. LIAR. YES, THAT'S WHAT SHE SAYS. THAT'S ONE THING. AND WHAT HE'S DOING. THE DIFFERENT THING. THAT'S THE EXAMPLE. CHAMPINE, HE'S LIKE HER, EXCEPT LITTLE DIFFERENT APPROACH, BUT HAS OWN INTEREST BEHIND IT. >> FERNANDA FOLLOWED BY JOE ON ZOOM. >> JOE FOLLOWED BY JANET. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS JOE. I LIVED IN DISTRICT TWO FOR 49 YEARS. I HAVE TWO POINTS TONIGHT. FIRST, WHEN CAMPERS WERE REMOVED FROM MY BLOCK ON FEBRUARY 24 -- IT WAS HEART BREAKING. PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED WITH NOWHERE STABLE TO GO. IF INDIVIDUALS REFUSE SHELTER, THE CITY NEED DESIGNATED PLACES WHERE THEY CAN LEGALLY STAY WITHOUT BEING PUSHED FROM BLOCK TO BLOCK. I HEARD ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY SAFETY SAY -- THAT IS NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE. IN THE YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 1, I FILED OVER 300 REQUESTS RELATED TO MY HOME. THEY WERE MOVED AWAY TEN TIMES. IN SEVERAL TIMES TO LOCATIONS CLOSE TO ME. I WAS TOLD UNSAFE SITUATIONS WOULD BE ESCALATED. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THAT HAS NOT BEEN HAPPENING. I ASK THE CITY TRACK AND PUBLISH OUTCOMES IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. AND I COMPOSED THAT FOR 60 SECONDS. IF I HAVE MORE TIME, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I GIVE KUDOS TO THE CITY COUNCIL STAFF THERE AT CITY HALL. I CALLED UP THIS AFTERNOON TO FIND OUT HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO THE LIMIT AT WHICH PEOPLE WOULD BE MOVED TO 60 SECONDS. SOMEBODY ANSWERED AND TOLD ME IT WAS VERY CLOSE AND IT WOULD PROBABLY GO OVER. BUT A MOMENT LATER SOMEBODY CALLED AND -- [ INAUDIBLE ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: LET HIM KNOW WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING HIM. >> YOU'RE BREAKING UP AT THE END. >> OH, NO. >> LOUD AND CLEAR NOW. PLEASE PROCEED. >> OKAY. ANYWAY. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THEY PICKED UP THE BALL WHEN IT'S DROPPED. AND I HAVE BEEN SUPER HAPPY DEALING WITH THEM EVERY TIME I CALLED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> JANET. >> YES, GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE COUNCIL. I ALSO APPRECIATE HAVING THE TWO MINUTES. I JUST WANTED TO SAY TONIGHT THAT YOU WON'T BE HEARING TOO MUCH MORE ABOUT THE MAIN LIBRARY AND WE DO FEEL WITH THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM 10 LEGISLATORS IN CAPITAL OUTLAY ALONG WITH CITY COUNCILORS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE WELL OVER THE MILLION-DOLLAR MARK, PLUS WE'LL BE LOOKING TO USE SOME OF THE 2025 LIBRARY RENOVATION THAT WAS IN THE BOND ISSUE. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, ARTS AND CULTURE DIRECTOR SANCHEZ DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO TELL YOU, BUT THE SPEAKERS ARE GOING VERY WELL. THAT'S PUT TOGETHER BY SOME OF THE HISTORY GROUPS, THAT'S ON THE 4th SATURDAY AT EVERY MONTH. WE'VE HAD SELLOUT CROWDS AT SOME OF THE VENUE. WE'RE USING FIVE OF THE LIBRARIES ALONG WITH THE WHEELS MUSEUM AND SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTY LOCATIONS IN BERNALILLO AND LOS LUNAS. WE'RE VERY HAPPY -- HISTORY IS VERY HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE ROUTE 66 SELL OPERATION. LASTLY, THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD IS VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING PRODUCTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS DURING THE 2027 OPERATING BUDGET TIME. AND ALSO THE SAME DISCUSSION OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET WHICH WILL HAPPEN LATER BUT IT'S ALL BEING PREPARED RIGHT NOW. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR THE TWO MINUTES. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THERE WERE TWO OTHER FOLKS I COULD NOT LOCATE IN ZOOM. THAT CONCLUDES GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. SAYERS, YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. >>COUN. PEÑA: WE'RE NOW ON OTHER BUSINESS. NOW,OTHER BUSINESS. ITEM 15. EXECUTIVE -- WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE DISCUSSION PURSUANT TO NMSA1978-10-15-1 DISCUSSION SUBJECT TO ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PERTAINING TO D-202-CV-2025-04659. WE NEED ROLL CALL VOTE FROM THIS POINT FORWARD BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THE COUNCILORS ON ZOOM. MICHELLE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [ EXECUTIVE SESSION ]. >>COUN. PEÑA: THE MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WERE LIMITED TO THOSE IN THE SPECIFIC MOTION FOR CLOSURE. WE'RE ON TO ITEM 11, APPROVALS. THERE'S NONE. WE'RE ON FINAL ACTIONS. O-11. COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'M PLEASED TO REINTRODUCE THIS BILL, O-26-11, WHICH REPRESENTS A THOUGHTFUL STEP FORWARD IN STRENGTHENING OUTCOMES AND ENSURING POLICIES ARE INFORMED BOTH BY LIVED EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE. I SPENT THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS TALKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IN SUPPORT AND NOT IN SUPPORT, AND WE HAVE SOME AMENDMENTS. I WANT TO CLEAR UP A COUPLE THINGS I HEARD OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS FROM OUR COMMUNITY. ONE WAS ABOUT PERMANENT SEATS. THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF FOR HELPING ME COMMRIEL -- COMPILE A LIST OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT HAVE PERMANENT MEMBERS. WE MODELED THIS OFF OF SEVERAL OTHER CITIES WE RESEARCHED AS WELL AS OUR COMMISSION ON AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES. I WANT TO FOCUS ON ONES SPECIFIC NOT TO POPULATION. WE HAVE BALLOON FIESTA PARK. MUSEUM TRUSTEES BOARD. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMUNICATION. INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. LIBRARY ADVISORY. ROUTE 66 CENTER COMMISSION. VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS ADVISEERARY, JUST TO NAME A FEW. THIS PROPOSAL, I JUST WANT TO GIVE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND. AS PART OF MY WORK IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY OF BLACK ENGAGEMENT. PAT DAVIS WANTED TO START AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD. AT THAT TIME OUR COMMUNITY HADN'T DONE THE WORK OF MEETING AND LOOKING AT DATA TO DECIDE WHAT THE FOCUS OF THAT BOARD WOULD BE. AT THAT TIME IN 2022, I CONVENED BY OUTLINING OVER 33 INTERSECTIONS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. AND WE DID BEGIN TO IMPROVE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY IMPROVING TRUST. WE ADDRESSED SYSTEMIC DISPARITIES WITH NATIONAL PARTNERS LIKE URBAN INSTITUTE, AND OPPORTUNITY ACCELERATOR. AND THE STRATEGY TEAM DESIGNED NOT ONLY TO ELEVATE LIVED EXPERIENCE BUT ENSURE IT WAS GROUNDED IN SOUND RESEARCH, DATA AND BEST PRACTICES. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I DREAMED UP REAL QUICK. WE ALSO WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. WE HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS SAYING MAYBE THIS ISN'T OKAY BECAUSE YOU'RE EXCLUDING COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPERTISE. NOT LIMITING PARTICIPATION BASED ON IDENTITY. WE HAVE LOT OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOME WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, TECHNICAL BACKGROUND, SOME OF THE THINGS I KNOW -- BUT I'M POSITIVE WE HAVE THIS EXPERTISE IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE CANNOT LOOK OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR THAT EXPERTISE. WE'RE SEEKING THE STRONGEST MINDS, MOST INFORMED PERSPECTIVES TO HELP US DO THIS WORK WELL. AT THE SAME TIME WE RECOGNIZE LIVED EXPERIENCE IS ALSO THE MOST IMPORTANT FORM OF EXPERTISE AND THE BALANCE OF PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT, COMMUNITY VOICE IS HOW I LEAD. I KNOW WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE HERE WHO WILL SPEAK IN FAVOR OF IT AND SOME WHO WILL SPEAK IN OPPOSITION. I WANT TO SAY CLEARLY THAT REGARDLESS THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WE'VE SEEN IN THE COME OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN THIS ISSUE IS SOMETHING I WELCOME. I'M EXCITED TO SEE SO MANY OF US COME INTO THESE CHAMBERS, REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU SPEAK ABOUT THE BILL. IT DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMUNITY DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF OUR CITY, CIVIC PARTICIPATION IS A STRENGTH. AND I'M ENCOURAGED TO SEE SUCH INVOLVEMENT. FINALLY, I RECOGNIZED NO POLICY IS EVER PERFECT ON DAY ONE. I'M CONFIDENT THAT AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION AS ADJUSTMENTS ARE NEEDED WE CAN RETURN TO COUNCIL AND REFINE AND IMPROVE THIS LEGISLATION. I KNOW ONE THING IS WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. WE KNOW THAT THE WORDS WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY'RE BLACK SERVING ORGANIZATIONS SPECIFICALLY. THEIR MISSION IS TO MOVE OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD. WE HAVE LOT OF BLACK-LED ORGANIZATIONS WHO ABSOLUTELY ARE WELCOME AS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS OR A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY VOTING MEMBERS. WHICH IS SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS I HAVE. I HEARD DEEPLY FROM THE COMMUNITY THEY WANTED A VOTING SEAT NOT JUST TO BE AT THE TABLE. SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS WILL MAKE SURE ALSO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL HAVE EQUAL VOTE AS WELL AS THE PERMANENT SEAT. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION. AND I MOVE DO PASS. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: SECOND. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MOTION FOR DO PASS ON O-11. SECOND BY COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. YOU WANT TO GO OVER AMENDMENTS FIRST? BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT? >>COUN. ROGERS: SURE. THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO MOVE AMENDMENT A, WHICH IS NUMBER ONE IN OUR PACKETS. WE'LL HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW ALONG. THIS IS ON PAGE TWO, LINE 31, BLUE LINE AMENDED AS FOLLOWS. THE BOARD SHALL CONSISTENT OF 17 VOTING MEMBERS. AGAIN, THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBER SEATS ARE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'LL HAVE TO UPDATE PAGE FOUR LINE 27-30, THE QUORUM, MEANING WHEN THE BOARD CAN ACTUALLY VOTE, WOULD BE NINE MEMBERS. MUST BE THERE TO VOTE. AND IT SPECIFIES THE BOARD SHALL NOT VOTE ON MATTERS UNLESS QUORUM OF THE MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WHICH MEANS YOU CAN STILL HAVE PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSS ITEMS, BUT WITHOUT A QUORUM WE WON'T BE VOTING. I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: SECOND. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MOTION AND A SECOND BY COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. MADAM CLERK FOR ROLL CALL. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: ON TO AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO, LABELED B IN YOUR PACKET. THIS IS A TECHNICAL UPDATE TO CAPITALIZE THE WORD BLACK IN OUR WHEREAS STATEMENT. THAT SIMPLE. JUST TECHNICAL AMENDMENT. I MOVE DO PASS. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: SECOND. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: DO PASS ON AMENDMENT TWO. SECOND BY COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. DISCUSSION? [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: AMENDMENT C. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO MOVE FLOOR AMENDMENT, LABELED C. THIS IS THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR BASSAN AFTER OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CALLS SHE RECEIVED. WE ALSO INCLUDED POLICY AND PROCEDURES, WHICH I HAD LEFT OUT OF THE BILL AS ORDINANCE. I APPRECIATE HER. BEGINNING ON PAGE FOUR, LINE 3 HAD -- 31, WE ADD POLICY AND PROCEDURES ALONG WITH BYLAWS SO THIS BOARD WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALSO COMING UP WITH THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WITH HOW THE BOARD WOULD OPERATE IN ADDITION TO BYLAWS. WE WOULD WANT THEM TO DO THAT BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR AND REVIEW IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. I MOVE DO PASS. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: SECOND. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MOTION IS FOR DO PASS ON AMENDMENT C. SECOND BY COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. ANY DISCUSSION? >>COUN. ROGERS: I WOULD LIKE TO ADD -- THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CHAMPINE. THE BYLAWS -- LOT OF THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM COMMUNITY IS THINGS WE CAN ADD IN OUR BYLAWS. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO LIVE IN THE ORDINANCE. I WANT THIS GROUP TO HAVE CHARGE IF THEY FIND AT THE END OF THE YEAR THERE'S NEEDED CHANGES TO THE BYLAW OR ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF THE BYLAWS AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO CARRY THOSE AMENDMENTS AT THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR. I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: FLOOR AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU. FLOOR AMENDMENT FOUR IN OUR PACKETS. THIS IS ANOTHER TECHNICAL AMENDMENT. JUST THAT WE FORGOT A SPACE BETWEEN ALTERNATE AND MAY. WE'RE JUST CORRECTING THAT TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR. I MOVE DO PASS. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: SECOND. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MOTION IS DO PASS WITH SECOND FROM COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. ANYBODY GOING TO DISCUSS THE DASH? [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: PERFECT. THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL THE FLOOR AMENDMENTS. MADAM PRESIDENT, WE CAN MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT. MR. GARRET. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. WE HAVE ADONI FOLLOWED BY WILLY. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCILORS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I DO APPRECIATE THE BILL. I AM NOT AGAINST THE BILL. WHAT I AM AGAINST IS THE HIERARCHY GATE KEEPING YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IN PLACE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAT WILL FURTHER THE GAP OF THE HAVES AND HAVE-NOTS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. FIRST OF ALL, HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE THE NAACP ON THE LIST? DO BLACK PEOPLE NOT NEED HEALTH ISSUES? WE DON'T HAVE HEALTH PROVIDERS ON THE LIST. THE ONLY PERMANENT SEATS THAT SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST SHOULD BE FOR THE YOUTH SO A REVOLVING DOOR -- A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ON THE LIST HAVE ALREADY HAD THE EAR OF THE MAYOR, ALREADY HAVE THE EAR OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS IS NOT ECOING THE VOICE OF THE OF US. IT DOES THAT ADD TO THE VOICES OF SO MANY BLACK PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. THIS BILL IS A MISTAKE IF YOU WILL ALLOW ALL OF THESE GROUPS WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE REST OF US THAT HAVE A VOICE. I APPRECIATE THE BILL IN ITS SENTIMENT, BUT THE REALITY IS YOU WILL BE PUTTING A MUZZLE ON THE FUTURE OF THE REST OF US. AND IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH ONLY SOME OF THE PEOPLE HAVING THE POWER AND THE VOICE, THAT'S OKAY, JUST SAY THAT. DON'T TELL US YOU CARE ABOUT DEMOCRACY OR THE REPUBLIC OF PEOPLE OR ANY OF THE OTHER STUFF YOU SELL ON YOUR BANNERS WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING FOR CAMPAIGNS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THE BLACK COMMUNITY WAS NOT COMMUNICATED. I HAVE A LIST OF OVER 60 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE NOT CONSIDERED. WHO ARE YOU, COUNCILOR ROGERS, TO DETERMINE WHO IS BLACK SERVING AND WHO IS BLACK ENOUGH TO BE ON THIS LIST? YES, I APOLOGIZE, COUNCILOR ROGERS AND MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS LIST IS NOT RIGHT. IT NEEDS TO BE CHECKED AND PUT DOWN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WILLY FOLLOWED BY MARION. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR ROGERS FOR THE BILL. GREAT CONCEPT. I LIKE THE IDEA. THE ONLY ISSUE I HAVE IS WITH THE PERMANENT SEAT ON THE BILL, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE NEW MEXICO BLACK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL McGILL. SEEING THAT NAME ON THE LIST IS LIKE A STAB ON THE BACK TO MYSELF AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAD TO ENDURE JUST VERY UNPROFESSIONAL TIMES WORKING FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL. AND WHAT'S MORE DISHEARTENING IS TO SEE THIS INDIVIDUAL ON THIS LIST WHO HAS SYSTEMMATICALLY COMMITTED FRAUD BY USING THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS PROGRAM TO DEFRAUD FUNDS. SHE APPLIED FOR GRANTS, HAD FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR STAFFING, AND HAS STAFFING AND SENDS THEM TO GET ON THE JOB TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH ALLOCATES SIX FRONTS OF FUNDING FOR WAGES. AND SHE'LL MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO STAY THERE AFTER THAT SIX MONTHS. BASICALLY, SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO USE HER ALLOCATED FUNDING. THIS IS THE INDIVIDUAL YOU WANT TO PUT TO OVERSEE THE BLACK COMMUNITY. IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING. THE FACT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER WAS INVESTIGATED AND CATHY McGILL, NEW MEXICO BLACK LEADERSHIP COUNCIL IS WRITTEN INTO THE CITY BUDGET AND THE CITY ISN'T INVESTIGATING THIS IS BEYOND REASONABLE. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE STANDING. WE DON'T WANT THIS INDIVIDUAL OVERSEEING THE BLACK COMMUNITY TO FURTHER OSTRACIZE MEMBERS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY. IT'S A NO AS LONG AS CATHY McGILL NEW MEXICO BLACK LEADERSHIP IS ON THE LIST. >> MARY FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE. MICHELLE FOLLOWED BY LISA. >> GOOD EVENING, ONCE AGAIN, MADP PRESIDENT. I AM A RESIDENT OF ALBUQUERQUE'S DISTRICT SIX. I JUST WANTED TO COME HERE TO VOICE MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR O-26-11. ALSO TO THANK COUNCILOR ROGERS FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN BRING THIS ORDINANCE FORWARD. AS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO SERVE ON ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL COUNCILOR ROGERS BRINGS VITAL PERSPECTIVE TO THIS WORK. I WAS PRESENT AT THE FEBRUARY 18th COUNCIL MEETING AND WAS REALLY MOVED BY COUNCILOR ROGERS PASSIONATE RESOLVE IN CHAMPIONING THIS LEGISLATION. IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE WORK IT COMES FROM A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES FACING THE BLACK RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE RACISM IS NOT A RELIC OF THE PAST. IT SHAPES LIVES, HEALTH, SAFETY AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND ZONING LAWS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DISSENT IN ALBUQUERQUE. THIS ORDINANCE IS A MEANINGFUL RESPONSE TO THAT REALITY. IT CREATES A PERMANENT ADVISORY BODY FOCUSED ON WHERE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS MOST SUPPORT, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, HEALTH EQUITY, AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION. IT ENSURES THE PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THE ISSUES HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN CITY POLICY IS BEING SHAPED. COUNCILOR ROGERS HAS SHOWN SHE UNDERSTANDS THE URGENCY OF THE MOMENT. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR HER WILLINGNESS TO ACT. I HOPE HER COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN IN PASSING THE ORDINANCE. >> LISA FOLLOWED BY ALTHEA. >> I STAND IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL BECAUSE I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK YOU HAVE PUT INTO THIS. AS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITY COUNCILOR, AND AS MY FRIEND AND AS MY SISTER, MY FAMILY BOUGHT US -- I TOLD YOU, THEY BOUGHT US SHIRTS BECAUSE WE'RE TWINS. SOMETIMES MY MOTHER CALLS ME YOU BECAUSE SHE WATCHES. MY STUDENTS ALSO WATCH. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THIS BODY FOR CONSIDERING THIS BILL. IT'S BEEN A LONGTIME COMING. IT'S NOT PERFECT. AS A BLACK COMMUNITY, THERE'S NOT VERY MANY OF US IN THE STATE. WE'RE NOT A MONOLITH. WE'RE NOT IN AGREEMENT. WE NEED SOME TIME. IT'S A GOOD BILL TO GET STARTED. WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. SO, WE DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED. BUT YOU ALL SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CHAMBER. NIEKOLE WE HAVE BEEN IN HERE TWO YEARS ENDURING THIS. I CAUTION MY FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY WHEN YOU START WITH I SUPPORT THIS BILL BUT, IT SOUNDS VERY MUCH LIKE I SUPPORT -- I ANY I WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP BUT I FORGOT. I'M SORRY. IT'S ABOUT THAT SAME. I WOULD ASK US TO PASS THIS BILL AND ALL OF THE POWER STRUCTURES, EGO PROBLEMS, DRAMA WE'RE HAVING IT, AND THE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT CATHY McGILL, WE MIGHT WANT TO RETHINK THAT. FRAUD IS HER MO. I WOULD SUGGEST WE PASS THIS BILL AND THAT WE ALSO, CITY COUNCILORS, MAYBE PUT IN SOME CAVEATS THAT WE WOULD COME BACK WITH SOME REVISIONS OR AS YOU HEAR CONCERNS FROM THE COMMUNITY. WHATEVER THOSE CONCERNS ARE. REPRESENTATION YOUTH PERMANENT SEATS. MAYBE WE CAN COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS WITH FIXES THAT THE GROUP THAT WAS ELECTED OR HOWEVER THAT HAPPENS THEY COME BACK WITH SUGGESTIONS. YOU CAN CHANGE IT AFTER THAT. >> ALTHEA FOLLOWED BY GRACE. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THE LAST TIME THIS BODY MET OUR DISTRICT SIX COUNCILOR ROGERS SAID THE PHRASE REPRESENTATION IS NOT SYMBOLIC, IT'S STRUCTURAL. AND IT HAS ECHOED IN MY HEAD OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO INVITE MARGINALIZED PERSONS TO JOIN A BOARD. WE NEED A BOARD THAT CENTERS THE PERSPECTIVE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND BLACK MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO HELP THE OTHER BOARD AND CITY STRUCKS DO THE BEST EQUITY WORK WE CAN. I FIRMLY BELIEVE YOU AS ELECTED LEADERS, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, ARE CHARGED TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND BUILD THE NECESSARY STRUCTURES TO CLOSE THEM. COUNCILOR ROGERS PERSPECTIVE AS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN ELECTED TO THE COUNCIL MEANS SHE HAS A LENS TO SEE A PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND CREATING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS GRANTING PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS WITH RELEVANT LIVED EXPERIENCE A DIRECTED LINE TO PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. I SERVE AS CHAIR AS THE TRANSIT ADVISORY BOARD. AS AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE CONVERSATION THAT THIS BOARD WILL HAVE REGARDING THE BUS SYSTEM AND ANY OPPORTUNITIES THEY HAVE TO SHARE EXPERTISE ON MATTERS OF TRANSIT ECWITH WUTY. ACCORD TO THE 2022 SURVEY, 11% OF WEEKDAY RIDERS IDENTIFY AS BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN. I THINK PART OF THE REASON THEY REQUIRE THESE SURVEYS IS SO WE KNOW WHICH COMMUNITIES WE SERVE AND MAKE SURE ABQ RIDE CONTINUES TO GIVE SERVICES WITH EQUITY AND MOBILITY AND RESPECT. WE CELEBRATED -- WHILE PUBLIC TRANSIT HAS COME A LONG WAY, THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK TO DO. KNOW THAT I DON'T HAVE ALL THE LIVED EXPERIENCE TO SEE ALL THE INEQUITY IN THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE TO TURN TO WHEN I HAVE QUESTION AND WHO CAN TURN TO US WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN HELP WITH. PLEASE VOTE YES ON O-26-11. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THIS MATTER. >> GRACE FOLLOWED BY EUGENE. >> THANK YOU AGAIN, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF O-26-11. AS COUNCILOR ROGERS SAID LAST MEETING, HISTORY IS NOT JUST SOMETHING WE STUDY. IT IS SOMETHING WE LIVE, SHAPE AND PASS FORWARD. REPRESENTATION IS NOT SYMBOLIC, IT IS STRUCTURAL. IT'S SHAPED TO A SCENE WHO HAS HEARD AND POLICIES ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT. THAT IS WHY THIS MATTERS. TONIGHT, BEFORE YOU, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY LEFT OUT OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES AND SHAPING THE POLICIES TO MAKE ALBUQUERQUE THE GREAT PLACE WE ALL LOVE AND ALL CALL HOME. PLEASE VOTE YES AND CREATE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD. THANK YOU. >> EUGENE FOLLOWED BY MARSHA. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, CITY COUNCIL, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR SMALL FARMERS AND RANCHERS. BOTH IN THE LATINO AND BLACK COMMUNITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN MY WORLD, WE LOOK AT IT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LIFE HERE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. BUT IT'S NOT A NEGATIVE BUT, THE OPPORTUNITY AND PROCESS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN SUCH A WAY LIKE THERE'S INPUT ENCOURAGED. IT'S NOT LIKE ONLY TONIGHT, BUT IF THIS COULD BE AT LEAST LIKE A BROADER BASED PUBLIC HEARING, SOME FORM OF WORKSHOPS THAT WERE SET UP BECAUSE THE UNSPOKEN ELEMENTS THAT MAY NOT HAVE PARTICIPATED -- I'M A CHURCH GUY. THE UNSPOKEN VOICES NEED TO PARTICIPATE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEIR PARTICIPATION. BECAUSE WHEN YOU DON'T, WE'RE GOING TO LACK. I FELT VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE SECURITY HERE TONIGHT. BECAUSE NO ONE, NONE OF THE COUNCILORS, NONE OF THE AUDIENCE, ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN, SHOULD NOT FEEL INTIMIDATED. SHOULD NOT FEEL UNSAFE. BECAUSE WE'RE LIVING IN A TIME WHERE SAFETY IS SO IMPORTANT, SO WHEN YOU ENCOURAGE THE ENGAGEMENT, THEN THE ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT WILL MANIFEST BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE THE VESTED INTEREST. IF YOU LEAVE THAT PIECE OUT, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN HOWIA WANT TO ENGAGE THE BLACK COMMUNITY WILL BE LEFT OUT. >> MARSHA FOLLOWED BY TAD. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I NORMALLY DON'T SPEAK, SO MY NERVES MAY GET THE BEST OF ME. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE ESTABLISHING OF THE AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD. I'M A DESCENDANT OF THE BOYIER FAMILY. WE HAVE DEEP ROOTS AS FAR AS THE 1800s. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN ANY PROJECT THAT SUPPORTS THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. I'MRIESDANT OF THE KIRTLAND COMMUNITY WHERE MY PARENTS WERE RECENTLY DECEASED. I HAVE LIVED THERE FOR OVER 70 YEARS. I RECEIVE CALLS AND CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD AND HOW THEY'RE SELECTED. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE ADDITIONAL INPUT BECAUSE MANY JUST HEARD ABOUT THE ORDINANCE VIA TELEVISION. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO ALLOW MORE TIME FOR MORE WORK TO BE DONE WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY BEFORE PROCEEDING. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> TAD FOLLOWED BY SHAVON. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS TAD. WELL, AFTER APPROACHING NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE 60 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES. AS AN IMMIGRANT, LOCAL LAWFUL IMMIGRANT. LIVING FIRST TWO YEARS IN CHICAGO. REST OF IT HERE IN NEW MEXICO. I REMEMBER IN CHICAGO MADISON AVENUE BLACK PROTESTERS FIRE ALL OVER MADISON AVENUE. THEN I EXPERIENCE WITH MY NATIONALITY THAT THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS DISCRIMINATION. AFTER TWO YEARS. I CAME TO NEW MEXICO. WELL, I BECAME QUICKLY SUCCESSFUL. AND AFTER TWO YEARS LIVING HERE MY BOSS SENT ME TO SANTA FE TO GET A LICENSE, CONTRACTOR'S LICENSE. I WAS SUCCESSFUL. BUT THEN RACISM. I EXPERIENCED. SO, SPEAKING ABOUT RACES, I THINK I SEE THAT ALL. I FEEL IT. I FEEL LIKE I AM LIKE WHAT BLACK PEOPLE GO THROUGH 200 YEARS AGO NOW. >> SHAVON FOLLOWED BY BENNY ON ZOOM. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD. THIS BOARD IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE REPRESENTATION IS NOT SYMBOLIC. IT IS STRUCTURAL. WHEN COMMUNITIES HAVE FORMAL SEATS AT THE TABLE POLICIES BECOME MORE INFORMED EQUITABLE AND MORE EFFECTIVE. ALBUQUERQUE'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS A DISTINCT HISTORY, CULTURAL PRESENCE, AND LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT DESERVES INTENTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE CITY GOVERNMENT. AN ADVISORY BOARD CREATES A DIRECT AND CONSISTENT LINE BETWEEN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND DECISION MAKERS. IT ALLOWS CONCERNS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, HOUSING ACCESS, SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH, AND YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES AND AS WELL AS CULTURAL TO BE ADDRESSED AND COORDINATED IN THE STRATEGIC WAY. WITHOUT STRUCTURE, VOICES ARE NOT OFTEN HEARD. WITH STRUCTURE, VOICES BECOME PROACTIVE AND SOLUTION-ORIENTED. THIS IS NOT ABOUT DIVISION, IT'S ABOUT PRECISION. WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES FACE DIFFERENT BARRIERS, WE CAN CREATE BETTER POLICY OUTCOMES FOR EVERYONE. EQUITY STRENGTHENS THE ENTIRE CITY. DATA SHOWS WHEN HISTORICALLY UNREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN PLANNING AND ADVISORY ROLES, CITIES SEE IMPROVED CIVIC PARTICIPATION, STRONGER TRUST, IN GOVERNMENT AND MORE SUSTAINABLE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION. AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD WOULD NOT REPLACE EXISTING SYSTEMS, IT WILL STRENGTHEN THEM. IT WILL SERVE A PRIVILEGE BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL. ENSURING ENGAGEMENT IS CONSISTENT RATHER THAN OCCASIONAL. ALBUQUERQUE GROWS STRONGER WHEN ALL OF US IN THE COMMUNITIES ARE SEEN, HEARD AND MEANINGFULLY INVOLVED IN THE GOVERNANCE. >> BENNY ON ZOOM. >> CITY COUNCIL, I'M A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN. I COME BEFORE YOU WITH A BACHELORS OF -- MASTERS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE FROM UCLA. I SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THE ADVISORY BEARD. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACK PEOPLE TO HAVE EQUITY WITH THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE. WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE BOARD'S STRUCTURE. I HAVE WORKED FOR ONE OF THE LISTED ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAS A PERMANENT SEAT. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THERE'S NO THOROUGH INSIDER RESEARCHING WHETHER THE ORGANIZATIONS WERE THE RIGHT REPRESENTATIVES. MANY ARE WELL INTENDED, BUT MAY NOT BE EQUIP WOULD THE EXPERTISE OR HISTORICAL INSIGHT TO ADVISE ON COMPLEX ISSUES. ALSO, BLACK MIGRATION IS NOT DONE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. HAVING PERMANENT SEATS WILL NEVER REFLECT THE EVOLVING BLACK COMMUNITY. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO INVOLVE EXPERTS WHICH IS HARD TO FIND A BLACK EXPERT ON BLACKNESS AND I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD PROVIDE ORGANIZATIONS WITH QUESTIONNAIRES AND FIND OUT WHAT PERSPECTIVES THEY HAVE FOR BLACK PEOPLE BEFORE THEY'RE FULLY GIVEN PERMANENT SEATS WITHIN YOUR CITY. THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE I GOT TO MAKE MY COMMENT. JUST KNOW THE BOARD WILL ONLY BE EFFECTIVE IF YOU HAVE EXPERTS GUIDING IT. MAKE THE EXPERTS DECIDE WHO IS ON THE BOARD. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ENJOY YOU WERE EVENING. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES COMMENT. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH THE ENTIRE BILL? >>COUN. CHAMPINE: I CAN FINISH THE BILL. COUNCILORS, ANY DISCUSSION ON 26-11? THAT BEING SAID -- MADAM PRESIDENT. >>COUN. PEÑA: I JUST WANT TO -- WE DID RECEIVE CALLS. I INTEND TO VOTE FOR THE BILL. WE DID RECEIVE CALLS. I WAS WONDERING WHO IS THE STAFFER -- IS THERE SOMEONE HERE PUTTING IT TOGETHER AND WORKING JUST TO HEAR FROM THEM ABOUT THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT -- ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THAT PROCESS. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: COUNCILOR ROGERS. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THE BILL AS WRITTEN IS COUNCILOR ROGERS'S BILL. OUR STAFF WAS NOT ENGAGED IN THE WRITING OF THIS BILL. THAT WAS HER STAFF. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU, MADDISM PRESIDENT. I DID SEND THE BILL TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND DID NOT HEAR UNTIL AFTER THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED. THIS IS MY WORK CARRYING OVER FROM EQUITY AND INCLUSION. I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY INCLUSION WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. IT STARTED WITH THE STRATEGY TEAM OF 36 MEMBERS BLACK. COMMUNITY. WE SPENT TWO YEARS OF -- MISSING AND BLACK PEOPLE. THAT CAME UP. THAT PARTICULAR ONE WAS NOT DISCUSSED BY THE STRATEGY TEAM. THAT WAS DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE GIVENS CASE WHERE WE WERE WORKING WITH APD, WHERE A BLACK MAN WAS HUNG IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND HIS FAMILY WASN'T NOTIFIED UNTIL A YEAR LATER. WE ADDED THIS BECAUSE OF THAT INCIDENT. CULTURAL EVENT AND HERITAGE, THAT'S TO WORK LONGICIDE WITH EQUITY ANDCLUSION FOR JUNETEENTH, AND HERITAGE. WE HAVE HEALTH REPRESENTATIVES FROM UNM HEALTH, NAACP, APS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENT SERVICES FROM UNM TO ROUND IT OFF WITH YOUTH VOICES. THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE BILL. HEALTH IS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE FOCUS ON. THE OTHER IS CIVIC AND REPRESENTATION. MAKING SURE WE HAVE MORE MEMBERS IN THESE CHAMBERS. REGARDLESS OF HOW PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT IT, I'M GLAD TO SEE THEM HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AND ENGAGING IN THE PROCESS. THERE'S LOT OF TIME I LOOK IN THE AUDIENCE AND I DON'T SEE US, OUTSIDE OF LISA. SO, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER REASON -- CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND REPRESENTATION IS A BIG PART OF THAT. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE BOARD'S COMPOSITION. I ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE MOST RESPECT FOR THE BOYIER FAMILY AND THEIR LEGACY AND HISTORY HERE WHICH IS WHY WE INCLUDED THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORIC MUSEUM WHICH PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF THE HOMESTEADERS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO START WITH. I'M COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY OVER THE NEXT YEAR AS WE LAUNCH THIS WORK ON BYLAWS AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND AMENDMENTS WE CAN WORK ON TO BRING BACK TO THE COUNCIL. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: >>COUN. PEÑA: IT DID. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ROGERS. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR LEWIS. >>COUN. LEWIS: THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. IF I MAY, COUNCILOR ROGERS, HOW DID YOU ALL ADDRESS -- IT SOUNDS LIKE -- I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR LONG TIME. HOW DID YOU ADDRESS THE PERMANENT BOARD? IT SEEMS LIKE -- AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE THE TOTAL CONTEXT OTHER THAN WHAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT. THERE MIGHT BE SOME THAT FEEL NOT REPRESENTED IN YOUR BOARD. AND THERE'S THE ISSUE OF A PERMANENT MEMBER. HOW HAVE YOU ADDRESSED THOSE ISSUES AND THOSE CONCERNS? >>COUN. ROGERS: ABSOLUTELY. I HEARD THE SAME THING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT REPRESENTATION WHICH IS WHY WE DID THE AMENDMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WEREN'T TIED AN ORG HAD VOTING POWER JUST LIKE THE ORGS DO. ALL OF THE FOLKS COULD SIGN UP THROUGH THE SAME BOARDS AND COMMISSION APPLICATIONS PROCESS. EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NOT -- THEY'RE NOT TIED TO ONE OF THE PARTICULAR ORGANIZATIONS. I THINK HEARING FROM COMMUNITY, WE MADE SURE THOSE ARE VOTING MEMBERS, SO IF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THE WISH TO SERVE ARE NOT PART OF THE ORGS, THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. I THINK AS THE BOARD GETS STARTED, IF THEY SEE THEY NEED MORE COMMUNITY SEAT, I'M OPEN TO BRINGING THAT BACK AND MAKING AMENDMENTS. THIS IS THE STARTING POINT. I LOOKED AT PAT DAVIS VERSION OF HIS BILL HE HAD DRAFTED THAT WE WERE WORKING ON WHEN I WAS IN THE ROLL OF BLACK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I DID MY BEST TO BE AS THOUGHTFUL AS POSSIBLE. I KNEW BECAUSE THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS NOT A MONOLITH SOMEBODY IS GOING TO FEEL LEFT OUT. I KNOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN IT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS COMMENTS? COUNCILOR ROGERS TO CLOSE. >>COUN. ROGERS: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO DID PUBLIC COMMENT, IN SUPPORT OR NOT. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO STRENGTHEN THIS SO THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A BETTER PRODUCT THAT'S MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF, AND THAT IS HARD TO DO IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO EVER GET TO A POINT WHERE EVERYBODY AT THE TIME IS REPRESENTED. SO, I URGE YOUR SUPPORT AS WE TAKE THE VOTE. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: MOTION IS DO PASS ON 26-11. DO PASS AS AMENDED. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW ON R-205. COUNCILOR GROUT. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. R-205 IS REQUIRING THE ALBUQUERQUE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT, THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY OPERATIONS REPORTS. I MOVE A DO PASS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR DO PASS OF R-205. >>COUN. GROUT: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. THE TRUE HEROES OF OUR CITY ARE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN APD, AFR, AND ACS. THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB UNDER STRESSFUL CONDITIONS. I INTRODUCED THIS BILL BECAUSE I WANTED MORE OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY AROUND THEIR WORK AND THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE. THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON THEM. IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT NEED. FOR THAT, WE NEED INFORMATION. THIS THIS BILL WAS INTRODUCED IN NOVEMBER, WE'VE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEADERSHIP ABOUT THE CORE GOALS OF THIS BILL. AND HAPPY TO PROVIDE REGULAR OPERATIONAL REPORTS TO CITY COUNCIL. THESE REPORTS WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC -- TO THE PUBLIC, ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE WEB PAGES. AND THEY MAY BE LINKS ON COUNCILOR'S PROJECTS SO CONSTITUENTS CAN SEE THE GREAT WORK THAT EACH DEPARTMENT IS DOING. COUNCILORS WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO HAVE QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS WITH EACH DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW DATA, DISCUSS TRENDS, AND IDENTIFY DISTRICT-SPECIFIC ISSUES. THE UPDATES WILL INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND DATA SYSTEMS SO WE CAN STAY INFORMED ON PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES. LETTING THE DEPARTMENTS DO THIS ADMINISTRATIVELY WILL ACHIEVE THE SAME GOALS, BUT MORE QUICKLY AND WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY. I'M EXCITED THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE FULL STORY AROUND THE WORK THAT EACH DEPARTMENT COMPLETES ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. I'M GOING TO MOVE TO WITHDRAW THIS BILL. THE OBJECTIVES ARE BEING MET CLUE COLLABORATION. IT'S NOT NECESSARY. I CAN ALWAYS BRING IT BACK IF I NEED TO. THIS PROCESS HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE POLICY GOALS MORE EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY. I WANT TO THANK CHIEF BARKER. CHIEF JARAMILLO AND DIRECTOR ESQUIBEL TO FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH ME AND STAFF. AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I ENJOYED MEETING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND GOING OVER CHALLENGES AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US WHEN WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS AND BUDGET DECISIONS, IT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE THE WHOLE SCOPE OF OVER. THE OTHER THING THAT'S VERY INTERESTING IS OFTENTIMES TRENDS AND THINGS WE SEE ARE VERY SEASONAL. SO, IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE SAME. GETTING TO SEE -- EACH DEPARTMENT IS ALSO DIFFERENT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF IS DOING FOR US TO KEEP US SAFE, BUT ALSO SEE ALL THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO. IT'S TRULY AMAZING. EACH DISTRICT IS DIFFERENT. I'M HOPEFUL THE COUNCILORS WILL FIND THIS VERY HELPFUL TO SEE TRENDS IN THEIR DISTRICTS TO SEE WHERE WE NEED TO WORK ON AND MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE CHANGES THAT WAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THESE CONVERSATIONS. AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO WITHDRAWAL THIS BILL. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND TO WITHDRAWAL. THAT WAS BY VICE PRESIDENT. BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE, DO WE HAVE -- WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT THEY'RE NOT ONLINE. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCILORS? SEEING NONE. COUNCILOR GROUT TO CLOSE. >>COUN. GROUT: I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. WE'RE ON THE FINAL BILL OF THE EVENING. THIS IS R-4, AMENDING R-25-122 REGARDING MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENT FOR ALBUQUERQUE FIRE RESCUE APPARATUS. I THINK I WILL ASK COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN IF SHE'D LIKE TO OPEN AND CLOSE ON THIS BILL. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: SURE, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS IS THE WINDING DOWN OF A LOT OF DRAMA BETWEEN CITY COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION OVER STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALBUQUERQUE FIRE AND RESCUE. I THINK WE HAVE NEGOTIATED A VERY BALANCED ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. AND THIS IS OUR FINALIZING OF THAT AGREEMENT. SO, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCILORS? DO WE HAVE ANYONE -- WE DO? I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SAME TWO NAMES. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE GRACE FOLLOWED BY TAD. TAD. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS TAD, AGAIN. WELL, REASONABLE LEVEL OF SAFETY WHILE YOU'RE PERFORMING THE ASSIGNED DUTIES. AND LOT MORE. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS. I REALLY APPRECIATE PARAMEDIC. BUT I DO HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DESTROYING SO-CALLED ABANDONED HOUSES. HOW THEY DESTROYING BECAUSE I SEEN MANY HOUSES BEING DESTROYED. BUSTING WINDOWS, DOORS, AND -- BECAUSE LITTLE FIRE IN ONE. I CAN GO OVER AND OVER. WHERE IS ARSON INVESTIGATION? OH, NO, THAT IS THE HOMELESS PEOPLE. AND THE CASE IS CLOSED. I ASK FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RELEASE ALL FIRES, ABANDONED HOUSES FIRES. THE LAST THREE YEARS, NO RESPONSE. AND CITY CLERK PLAYING GAMES WITH ME. I'M SORRY. THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK, AGAINST CITY AND THE RELEASE AGAINST CITY CLERK AND FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANNING THIS DIRECTOR. THANK YOU. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. YOUR COMMENTS WEREN'T GERMANE TO THE BILL BUT I LET YOU COMPLETE THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT TIME TRY TO MAKE SURE YOUR COMMENTS ARE GERMANE TO THE BILL. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR STAFF? I MEAN, COUNCILORS. I'M SORRY. OKAY. >> MADAM PRESIDENT, WE NEED A MOTION. >>COUN. PEÑA: THERE WASN'T ONE? I THINK THERE WAS ONE. I MADE IT AND COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN -- MM-HMM. I'LL SEND IT TO YOU TO CLOSE. I'LL MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS REAL QUICK. I THINK THIS IS REALLY -- WE REALLY GOT IN A SITUATION LAST YEAR -- AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR YOUR WORK, COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN, AND COUNCILOR LEWIS, TO REALLY TRY TO UNRAVEL THIS WITH -- THIS IS BETWEEN US AND THE ADMINISTRATION. AND ACTUALLY, REALLY WORKING TO SUPPORT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE CHIEF. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN START TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE REAL PROGRESS ON SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE COMMITTED TO. COUNCILOR FIEBELKORN TO CLOSE. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS EPISODE OVER. I FULLY SUPPORT AFR CHIEF JARAMILLO AND KNOW THE DEPARTMENT IS IN GOOD HANDS. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING BACK TO THE WORK THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE DOING. WITH THAT, I URGE YOUR SUPPORT. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR A DO PASS OF R-4. [ ROLL CALL ]. >>COUN. BACA: YES. >>COUN. BASSAN: YES. >>COUN. CHAMPINE: YES. >>COUN. FIEBELKORN: YES. >>COUN. GROUT: YES. >>COUN. LEWIS: YES. >>COUN. ROGERS: YES. >>COUN. TELLES: YES. >>COUN. PEÑA: YES. >> PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>COUN. PEÑA: THANK YOU. THAT WAS THE FINAL ITEM OF THE EVENING. THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS COUNCIL MEETING IS ADJOURNED.